Direct and Manage Project Execution

Integration of all execution work to accomplish the project management plan and producing the deliverables are two critical activities of Direct and Manage Project Execution. Requesting changes and completing the work necessitated by approved change requests are involved in Direct and Manage Project Execution. Direct and Manage Project Execution process and the Monitor and Control Project Work process require considerable effort during the project. Direct and Manage Project Execution process involves:

• Managing project members / stakeholders / others

• Executing tasks

• Process improvements

• Change management

• Helping the team to get the work completed

• Ensuring the team is calibrated, focused and informed

In Direct and Manage Project Execution process, the role of a project manager involves:

• Effective facilitation

• Effective communication

• Keep the project on track as per schedule

• Increase efficiency by performing process improvements

For the tasks performed by a project manager, it is assumed that during project execution, enough time is spent on managing schedule, budget, quality, risks and all knowledge areas. Most project managers are not attuned to this approach of managing projects. They tend to manage the project as a whole instead of giving attention to individual knowledge area. This also indicates that enough time is not given to understand the impact of one knowledge area on another area (e.g. quality management issues can affect risk management and project schedule). In due course, the project managers also miss out to think about some knowledge areas. This makes integration management knowledge area as one of the most critical areas that require project managers to keep all the knowledge areas in mind at all times.