Integrated Project Management (IPM) (CMMI-DEV)

Introductory Notes

Integrated Project Management involves the following activities:

• Establishing the project’s defined process at project startup by tailoring the organization’s set of standard processes
• Managing the project using the project’s defined process
• Establishing the work environment for the project based on the organization’s work environment standards
• Establishing teams that are tasked to accomplish project objectives
• Using and contributing to organizational process assets
• Enabling relevant stakeholders’ concerns to be identified, considered, and, when appropriate, addressed during the project
• Ensuring that relevant stakeholders (1) perform their tasks in a coordinated and timely manner; (2) address project requirements, plans, objectives, problems, and risks; (3) fulfill their commitments; and (4) identify, track, and resolve coordination issues

The integrated and defined process that is tailored from the organization’s set of standard processes is called the project’s defined process. (See the definition of “project” in the glossary.)

Managing the project’s effort, cost, schedule, staffing, risks, and other factors is tied to the tasks of the project’s defined process. The implementation and management of the project’s defined process are typically described in the project plan. Certain activities may be covered in other plans that affect the project, such as the quality assurance plan, risk management strategy, and the configuration management plan. Since the defined process for each project is tailored from the organization’s set of standard processes, variability among projects is typically reduced and projects can easily share process assets, data, and lessons learned.

This process area also addresses the coordination of all activities associated with the project such as the following:

• Development activities (e.g., requirements development, design, verification)
• Service activities (e.g., delivery, help desk, operations, customer contact)
• Acquisition activities (e.g., solicitation, agreement monitoring, transition to operations)
• Support activities (e.g., configuration management, documentation, marketing, training)

The working interfaces and interactions among relevant stakeholders internal and external to the project are planned and managed to ensure the quality and integrity of the overall endeavor. Relevant stakeholders participate as appropriate in defining the project’s defined process and the project plan. Reviews and exchanges are regularly conducted with relevant stakeholders to ensure that coordination issues receive appropriate attention and everyone involved with the project is appropriately aware of status, plans, and activities. (See the definition of “relevant stakeholder” in the glossary.) In defining the project’s defined process, formal interfaces are created as necessary to ensure that appropriate coordination and collaboration occurs.

This process area applies in any organizational structure, including projects that are structured as line organizations, matrix organizations, or teams. The terminology should be appropriately interpreted for the organizational structure in place.