Customer Reviews

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide): 2000 Edition

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I found having the PMBOK in Adobe Acrobat format to be a real convenience and prefer it to the paper version. Note: while you can download a copy of this document from PMI's web site, it's a preview version that is missing chapters 2, 4-12 and appendices A through F. Therefore, if you need a copy of the PMBOK 2000 version your options are to purchase either the CD ROM or the book.

PMI has put a lot of work into this version. Compared to the 1996 version this one reads better, shows clearer relationships between knowledge areas, and has been greatly expanded in some of the knowledge areas - most notably risk management and earned value project management. The CD ROM version that I am reviewing has additional refinements that make this media easier to work with. The 1996 version in electronic format was a collection of standalone Adobe Acrobat files, this version is a single Acrobat file that makes good use of Acrobat's navigation features.

If your reason for buying the PMBOK 2000 is to prepare for the Project Management Professional certification you have two choices: CD ROM or book, because this is the primary source of test questions. Heed the previous reviewer's comments that the 2001 examinations will also use the 1996 version as a basis for test questions. If you are buying this book to implement project management processes that conform to the PMBOK and work in the computer industry I recommend that you also look at Information Technology Project Management by Kathy Schwalbe. That book presents a project management approach for IT projects that is closely aligned to the PMBOK.

If you are planning on taking the PMP exam, you absolutely NEED to purchase this book. PMI uses this book as a syllabus for the PMP exam. Hence, this book is literally a table of contents of everything that can be tested on the PMP. In addition to being a table of contents, it does have a brief description of each topic.

For the longest time, almost everyone who has taken the PMP exam felt that this was a badly written book. There are two reasons for this.

The first one is that typically nobody likes to read a table of contents. So, why did PMI do this? Because of the vastness of the project management knowledge out there and the difficulty of covering it all in one book, PMI has chosen to only outline what is out there.

The second and more important reason is that the authors/editors did a poor job of connecting these various topics and outline the ideas in a fashion that does not make sense!

Books are written so that you have to read the chapters serially from the beginning to the end of the book. Or in some unique cases, the chapters can be read independently without losing the author's train of thought. This is the only book I have ever read that follows neither principle! I believe this is the reason almost every single reader is confused when trying to read the book.

I have talked to several people who have passed the PMP exam and it is clear that everyone struggles through this book a few times before finding the correct order to read the chapters in the book for the material to stick.

I think it is best to use this as a reference on your bookshelf while you are reading other books on project management. Once you have sufficient experience in the project management field and feel comfortable with the various knowledge areas, it is time to read this book cover to cover and come up with your own order in which to read the different chapters.

My suggestion for the order in which to read the chapters? Read the first three chapters as they are an overview to project management and it is not that confusing. The rest of the chapters are supposed to address the different knowledge areas in an independent fashion. But this isn't true! The different knowledge areas are not independent. They are connected through the five different project management process groups! If you want to make sense of this book, it is better to follow the order of the process groups. It may mean flipping back and forth between different chapters but it works.

This is the only way that I have been able to retain the material long after taking the PMP exam. I hope this particular order works for you but if it doesn't, I suggest trying different ordering of the chapters to find whatever works for you. Do not assume that you have poor project management skills if the material doesn't make sense. It is not you, but the book that is the problem in understanding project management. I wish you the best of luck in overcoming this hurdle. Bottom line, you have to read this book in order to pass the PMP.

By the way, if you are a PMI member, you can download an electronic copy of this book free...The print functionality on this free Adobe Acrobat file is disabled though. Personally, I have always preferred the print version for reference books like this one. Good luck!

I'm a a certified PMP and purchased this book because PMI says it is the basis for the exam. The problem is that it's incredibly boring and does not include all the information on the test! Although all the project management processes are detailed and the terms are defined, it does not really teach you on how to apply and understand project management. There are also no practice questions included in the PMBOK and this is an absolute requirement before you sit for the test. You must also purchase an independant study guide book. I recommend PMP Exam Prep by Rita Mulcahy. It is well written, an enjoyable read, and includes many topics that appear on the exam that are not included in the PMBOK (i.e. Professional Responsibility etc.).

Project Management is not easy stuff, even though many people think all they need is to get a computer package and start using it in order to be project managers (I certainly used to think so). This book is almost an index of the topics you should cover when managing a project according to the Project Management Institute, as well as a guide for the Project Management Professional Certification (PMP).

The book does not try to be fun; it is very technical and general. As I said before, it is almost an index: covers a lot of topics, does not get into the details of almost anything. I would have liked it to include an example of how to put all the techniques together.

I had to read the 1996 edition for a course, and the 2000 edition in preparation for the PMP test. The first time it was a lot more difficult to finish the book. In between, I read "Information Technology Project Management" by Katy Schwalbe, and it helped a lot. It explains the PMBOK with anecdotes and stories, as well as examples and exercises, and after getting the basics the PMBOK is a lot more readable. I highly recommend reading Shwalbe's book first.

And if you just want to start studying Project Management, I think "Fundamentals of Project Management", by Lewis, is almost a "Quick Guide", but ideal for busy people, since it is very short and easy to read.

I rate the book four stars because it is not exactly a page-turner. It takes determination to read it from cover to cover.

The PMI has put together a book that is the definitive project management standard. Within the concise 200 or so pages, expect to get an overview of all the general areas of project management.

This book describes a generic project management model, suitable across many disciplines. It is written to be a standard. While it is authoritative and something you should definitely read, it is tough reading for beginners. The book does not proceed in the same sequence as project phases. It makes the book difficult to read as a textbook.

If you are a beginner I suggest that you purchase a copy of this book immediately but do not attempt to read it yet. Buy yourself a basic book on project management. Participate and lead projects. As you face issues within your project, refer to this book. You will find your study will be richly rewarded.

Anyone appearing for the PMP exam must know this material like the back of their hands. Spend a lot of time here. Keep in mind however that this book is not a repository of knowledge, it is a roadmap.

In summary, not a trivial read, but a rewarding one.

This PMBOK book is really a document of the PMBOK standard. As a standards document, it is fairly well done. If you plan to join the Project Management Institute, keep in mind that this book is free with PMI membership but only in CD-ROM format.

Like the other reviewers of this book pointed out, this book should not be the only preparation for the PMP exam and does not cover all the subjects on the exam. Nevertheless, I found reading through it once (even though it has a definite tendency to put me to sleep) an important preparation for the PMP exam. It is true that not all subjects in the exam are covered by this book, e.g. professional responsibilities, communication, leadership approaches, etc. To prepare for the exam, it is best to also use an exam prep book. In this regard, I found the book by Kim Heldman (and the CD-ROM that came with it) very helpful for passing the exam. I passed the exam after preparing with this book and Heldman's book, and it was not a marginal sort of pass.

If you plan to get an exam prep book, make sure that it is recently published (2002 or later), preferrably with lot of sample questions to practise with. The PMP exam underwent major changes in 2002 and started placing a lot of emphasis on testing understanding based on specific scenarios. Probably because of this, I did not find passing the exam requires much brute-force memorization.

This CD ROM contains is the electronic form (Adobe Acrobat format) of a set of guidelines that represent two things: (1) a De Jure standard for project management, which is the American National Standard classified as ANSI/PMI 99-001-2000 and (2) one of the primary resources that you need to thoroughly know in order to successfully pass the Project Management Professional(PMP)certification examination. NOTE: According to the Project Management Institute candidates seeking PMP certification in 2001 will also be responsible for the content in the older PMBOK dated 1996 also available from Amazon.com.

What it contains: this CD ROM is identical in format and content as the hard copy versions of the PMBOK 2000 edition. Its 211 pages are divided into four sections that are comprised of 12 chapters and seven appendices.

Section I consists of three chapters that introduce the guide and briefly describes terms and definitions. It also provides an overview of the nine knowledge areas and 39 processes embodied in the project management framework. Chapter 2 adds a brief piece on the role of project offices, which was not in the 1996 edition. Chapter 3 appears to have taken a few ideas from the British PM standard, PRINCE 2 (PRojects IN a Controlled Environment) because more attention appears to be given to phases and interactions among phases. Another interesting thing I noted about Chapter 3 is the inclusion (although brief) of iterative development. If you are in IT/IS you will recognize how this can be aligned to the Rational Unified Process or other iterative development approaches.

The nine chapters in Section II address each of the nine knowledge areas and their associated processes. The knowledge areas are: project integration management, scope management, time management, cost management, quality management, human resources management, communications management, risk management and procurement management. The knowledge areas and processes in the 2000 edition have undergone some refinement and expansion from what is in the 1996 edition: Chapters 4 and 10 have a lot more material on earned value (I recommend Earned Value Project Management, 2nd edition as an augment to the PMBOK because the authors of that book were instrumental in adding earned value to the PMBOK), Chapter 6 touches on theory of constraints (a good book that extends this is Project Management in the Fast Lane by Robert Newbold), and Chapter 11, risk management, has been expanded to include six processes instead of four that were covered in the 1996 edition.

Section III is a collection of seven appendices, of which Appendix G, Summary of Project Management Knowledge Areas, is the most valuable. Section IV is a glossary and index.

It's a given that if you are pursuing PMP certification the PMBOK is a must. The burning question is whether or not you should get the hard copy or CD ROM version. I personally prefer the hard copy version because of the way I read (not to mention the eyestrain from reading off a monitor). However, the CD ROM version is a lot more portable, and you can print out the entire PMBOK or selected sections for offline reading. There is also something to be said for the way the CD ROM version is hyperlinked, making it a convenience. I have it in both formats, but you will have to decide which is most convenient for you - or spend the extra money and get the book and CD ROM.

I have found that the information in this book has proved invaluable in all aspects of project management. This edition updates a previous release (from 1996), and I suspect that readers of that version will find that the new material added by the Project Management Institute provides ample reasons for using the newer version. In keeping with the times, the book now devotes an entire chapter to the notion of a Project Office, an important factor in many contemporary projects since the role of project manager is no longer "just another hat" worn by someone who fills another role on the project. Chapter 11 covers Risk Management, and it contains a cogent description of the processes required for such an assessment (Risk Management Planning, Risk Identification, Risk Assessment, Risk Quantification, Risk Response Planning, and Risk Monitoring and Control). I strongly recommend this book as an essential reference that belongs in the side pocket of your notebook computer bag.

This book is a good reference and should be used as a reference book. You need to know the content of this book to pass the PMP. However, don't use thie book at the only source of study. Get a copy of Andy Crowe's "The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try" and "The Ultimate PMP Study Aid" (from ebay).

By the way, when your join the PMI memnbership, they will send a CDROM verson of the book free.

This book is a good resource to use when planning a project kick-off meeting or writing project scope documents and business requirements for non-project oriented team members.

The way in which the authors organize the chapters/topics do not seem chronological to me, based on my experience in running multiple large-scale projects.

"A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge : 2000 Edition" is not a book that one can easily reference when trying to find a specific sub-topic or definition. A better reference book for project management is "The Ama Handbook of Project Management."