Fundamentals of Project Management, Third Edition

What Is Managing?

The PMI definition of project management does not completely capture the true nature of project management. Remember, it says that “project management is application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to achieve project requirements. Project management is accomplished through the application and integration of the project management processes of initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing” (PMBOK 2004, p. 8). That sounds nice on paper, but what is it that a person really does when he manages?

I don’t know if it is really possible to convey what managing actually is. One reason is that project management is a performing art, and it is difficult to convey in words what ...