EXECUTING STAGE (INTEGRATION) : DIRECT AND MANAGE PROJECT WORK

This is the last process in the executing stage of the knowledge area called Integration whereby the project work defined in the project management plan is performed and approved change requests are implemented for purpose of achieving the project objectives. In short, the process is all about the management of project work including but not limited to:

• Perform activities,
• Create project deliverables,
• Manage resources,
• Establish communications channels,
• Issue change requests,
• Manage stakeholders,
• Manage risks,
• Document lessons learnt etc

The inputs that Direct and Manage Project work process used are:

• Project management plan that contains details of all subsidiary plans related to the project work (kindly refer all the knowledge areas in the planning stage)
• Approved change requests that were reviewed and approved by Change Control Board. These requests may be for 
• corrective action to realign with the performance of project work, 
• preventive action to ensure the future performance of the project work or 
• defect repair to modify the non-conforming product. 

Note that the implementation of the change requests will impact the schedule, budget and scope to mention a few.

• Enterprise Environment Factors, the internal and external environments that may impact the process such as organizational culture and structure, infrastructure, personnel administration, organizational risk tolerance and acceptance etc
• Organizational Process Assets that can influence the process including standard guidelines, work instructions, project files from the previous projects, defects management issues etc

Direct and Manage project work process can be done by:

• Using experts who can assess and judge the inputs to use for the process. The experts are the consultants, suppliers, customers, professionals, and other units of the organization
• Having meetings to discuss the project topics, brainstorm together, make decision and exchange information. The meetings must also have agenda, purpose, objectives, time frame and minutes.
• Using project management information system that provides working tools for the process

The outputs of the process are 

• Derivables with unique features required for the project, 
• Work performance data collected through execution in order to be analyzed in the monitoring and control stage (to be discussed soon), 
• Change requests, formal proposals to modify a deliverable, document or baseline initiated internally or externally, and 
• Updates in the project management plan and project documents

References:

PMI (2013). A Guide to the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide 5^th Ed.) USA, Project Management Institute

https://ultraconsultants.com/category/project-management/page/3/