Manage Project Execution and Manage Project Knowledge: Understanding the Knowledge Cycle
PMBOK v8 Definition
Manage Project Execution is the process of performing the work defined in the project management plan to satisfy the project requirements. 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. Both processes belong to the Executing Process Group and the Project Management Focus Areas.
Why It Matters for the Exam
The PMI exam frequently tests the distinction between how knowledge flows into a project (using prior organizational knowledge) versus how knowledge flows out of a project (creating new knowledge for future use). Questions appear in situational scenarios where the project manager must decide whether to reuse existing knowledge or capture newly created knowledge. Understanding this bidirectional knowledge cycle is essential for scoring correctly on process-related questions.
Key Points to Remember (for the exam)
- Primary Purpose of Manage Project Knowledge: Using prior organizational knowledge to produce or improve the project outcome, AND collecting new knowledge created by the project to support organizational operations and future projects or phases
- Two Types of Knowledge Managed: Explicit knowledge (documented, codified) and tacit knowledge (personal experience, insights, intuition)
- Two Knowledge Objectives: Reusing existing knowledge AND creating new knowledge
- Relationship to Manage Project Execution: The understanding of knowledge management can be seen in how Manage Project Execution and Manage Project Knowledge processes interact during project work
- Organizational Learning Contribution: Manage Project Knowledge directly contributes to organizational learning beyond the current project
- Key Benefit of Manage Project Knowledge: Collecting new knowledge created by the project to support organizational operations and future projects or phases
- Common Confusion: Many candidates confuse Manage Project Knowledge with simply documenting lessons learned—it is broader, encompassing both using existing knowledge AND creating new knowledge
Typical PMI Exam Example
A project manager is starting a new software development project. The organization has completed three similar projects in the past two years. The project manager reviews historical documents from those projects and interviews team members who worked on them to avoid repeating mistakes. During execution, the team discovers a new testing technique that significantly reduces defect rates. The project manager ensures this technique is documented for future projects.
Question: Which process is the project manager primarily applying? Answer: Manage Project Knowledge (using prior organizational knowledge AND creating new knowledge)
PMI Exam Traps
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Trap: Thinking Manage Project Knowledge only happens at project closure
- Reality: It is an Executing process that occurs throughout the project lifecycle
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Trap: Confusing Manage Project Knowledge with Manage Quality (quality assurance tasks)
- Reality: Quality assurance focuses on quality standards; knowledge management focuses on knowledge reuse and creation
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Trap: Believing that using past knowledge is a Planning process
- Reality: While planning uses historical information, the formal process of managing knowledge (using existing AND creating new) is an Executing process
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Trap: Assuming Manage Project Knowledge only deals with explicit knowledge
- Reality: It explicitly manages both explicit AND tacit knowledge
Important PMI Connections
| Related Concept | Relationship Type | Exam Attention Point |
|---|---|---|
| Manage Project Execution | Complementary process | Both are Executing processes; knowledge is used during execution and new knowledge is created from execution activities |
| Organizational Process Assets | Input to / Output from | Existing knowledge comes from organizational process assets; new knowledge becomes organizational process assets |
| Project Management Plan | Input to | The plan guides how work is performed and how knowledge is managed |
| Lessons Learned | Output of | Lessons learned are a specific output of Manage Project Knowledge, but the process is broader than just lessons learned |
| Project Performance Domains | Integration concept | PMBOK v8 synthesizes Knowledge Areas into seven performance domains; knowledge management is integrated across domains |
Quick Review Questions
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A project team discovers a more efficient way to test code during execution. The project manager wants to ensure this knowledge benefits future projects. Which process should be applied?
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What are the two primary purposes of Manage Project Knowledge according to PMBOK v8?
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A project manager is reviewing lessons learned from previous projects before starting execution. Is this Manage Project Knowledge or a different process? Explain.
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What types of knowledge does Manage Project Knowledge address, and why is this distinction important?
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During which Process Group does Manage Project Knowledge occur, and what is the key benefit of this process?
PMBOK v8 Reference
Section 2.1.6.6 – Manage Project Knowledge (Executing Process Group)
Section 2.1.6 – Executing Process Group
Table X5-1 – Evolutionary Changes of the PMBOK® Guide (for context on PMBOK evolution)