The PMBOK describes nine knowledge areas or categories of the project management discipline. Gaining expertise in any one of these knowledge areas can help you become a rock star in your organization. Understanding and applying all nine will make you irreplaceable. Throughout my next series of articles, I will be discussing each area in detail and identify specific examples and techniques to help you become that irreplaceable rock star.

To begin this new series, I want to reference Kathy Schwalbe, Ph.D, PMP, and professor at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As an active member of the PMI and an expert in the industry, she has written several textbooks and how-to guides on the subject. In her book "Information Technology Project Management", she describes each of the nine knowledge areas and identifies some of the tools and techniques used in each area. These knowledge areas include:

1. Integration Management – project selection methods, project management methodologies, stakeholder analyses, project charters, project management plans, project management software, change requests, change control boards, project review meetings, and lessons-learned reports.

2. Scope Management – scope statements, work breakdown structures, mind maps, statements of work, requirements analyses, scope management plans, scope verification techniques, and scope change controls.

3. Time Management – Gantt charts, project network diagrams, critical-path analyses, crashing, fast tracking, schedule performance measurements.

4. Cost Management – Net present value, return on investment, payback analyses, earned value management, project portfolio management, cost estimates, cost management plans, and cost baselines.

5. Quality Management – Quality metrics, checklists, quality control charts, Pareto diagrams, fishbone diagrams, maturity models, and statistical models.

6. Human Resource Management – Motivation techniques, empathic listening, responsibility assignment matrices, project organizational charts, resource histograms, and team building exercises.

7. Communications Management – Communications management plans, kickoff meetings, conflict management, communications media selection, status and progress reports, virtual communications, templates, and project web sites.

8. Risk Management – Risk management plans, risk registers, probability/impact matrices, and risk rankings.

9. Procurement Management – Make-or-buy analyses, contracts, request for proposals or quotes, source selections, supplier evaluation matrices.

*Schwalbe, Information Technology Project Management, Sixth Edition, 2010.

Stay tuned for my next article about Integration Management in which I will identify four keys to help you better integrate projects, resources, and people into your work management process.