Knowledge Project Management: Using and Creating Knowledge for Project Success

PMBOK v8 Definition

Manage Project Knowledge is the process of using existing knowledge and creating new knowledge to achieve the project's objectives and contribute to organizational learning. This process belongs to the Planning Process Group and the Project Knowledge Management Knowledge Area (PMBOK v8).

Key benefits include:

• Using prior organizational knowledge to produce or improve the project outcome
• Collecting new knowledge created by the project to support organizational operations and future projects or phases

Knowledge management is concerned with managing both explicit and tacit knowledge for two purposes: reusing existing knowledge and creating new knowledge.

Why It Matters for the Exam

This concept appears frequently in PMI exam questions about project governance, continuous improvement, and organizational learning. Questions often test your understanding of how knowledge flows between the current project and the organization, and how knowledge management differs from simple documentation. Expect scenario-based questions where you must identify the correct knowledge management activity in a given situation.

Key Points to Remember (for the Exam)

• Main Purpose: Using existing knowledge AND creating new knowledge to achieve project objectives AND contribute to organizational learning
• Two Knowledge Types: Explicit knowledge (documented, codified) and Tacit knowledge (personal experience, insights, intuition)
• Two Knowledge Purposes: Reusing existing knowledge AND creating new knowledge
• Key Benefit 1: Using prior organizational knowledge to produce or improve the project outcome
• Key Benefit 2: Collecting new knowledge created by the project to support organizational operations and future projects or phases
• Common Confusion: Knowledge management is NOT just documentation—it involves active sharing mechanisms that foster a collaborative, evidence-based working environment
• Key Mechanism: Effective knowledge-sharing mechanisms foster collaboration and drive continuous improvement

Typical PMI Exam Example

A project manager is starting a new software development project. The organization has completed similar projects in the past. The project manager wants to ensure lessons learned from previous projects are applied to avoid repeating mistakes. What process should the project manager implement?

Answer: Manage Project Knowledge—specifically, using existing organizational knowledge to produce or improve the project outcome.

PMI Exam Traps

• Trap: Thinking knowledge management is only about creating documentation at the end of the project

  • Reality: Knowledge management is performed throughout the project and involves both using existing knowledge and creating new knowledge continuously

• Trap: Confusing Manage Project Knowledge with Manage Quality Assurance

  • Reality: Manage Quality Assurance is about using project processes effectively; Manage Project Knowledge is about managing explicit and tacit knowledge for reuse and creation

• Trap: Believing knowledge management only applies to large projects

  • Reality: Knowledge management is relevant for all projects and becomes especially important in "riances in an otherwise stable project" (unexpected changes or variations)

• Trap: Assuming knowledge management is solely the project manager's responsibility

  • Reality: Quality assurance tasks may be performed by the project management team, an external entity, or both—knowledge management involves the entire team

Important PMI Connections

Quick Review Questions

1. What are the two key benefits of the Manage Project Knowledge process?

2. A project team has discovered an innovative solution to a recurring problem. What should the project manager do to ensure this knowledge benefits future projects?

3. What is the difference between managing explicit knowledge and managing tacit knowledge in the context of Manage Project Knowledge?

4. During which process group is Manage Project Knowledge performed?

5. How does effective knowledge-sharing mechanisms contribute to project outcomes?

PMBOK v8 Reference

Section 2.1.6.6 – Manage Project Knowledge

This content is derived from the PMBOK v8 context provided, specifically the process description and its key benefits related to using existing knowledge and creating new knowledge for project objectives and organizational learning.