LETTER TO THE EDITOR
27 December 2024
Ref: PMI’s draft PMBOK 8th Edition
Dear David,
The Project Management Institute has just released a draft version of the PMBOK 8th Edition. Is this document meant for projects across all sectors?
In PMBOK, business strategy serves as the driving force behind projects, and all needs are aligned with the strategy to deliver value. Programs are components of portfolios and are primarily made up of projects. These are the fundamental principles of project management in the private sector, where organizations operate with full autonomy.
In the public sector, however, the purpose of a project is to implement public policy. Public policies are not addressed in the PMBOK Guide.
In public administration, a program comprises a set of instruments collectively used to implement public policy. These instruments can be both projects and ongoing processes. For example, within a road safety improvement program, new, safer roads might be constructed (projects), while road traffic supervision is continuously enhanced (ongoing processes).
Public policies and programs are typically developed at the central level (e.g., parliament, cabinet, ministries) and delegated to public organizations (institutions) for implementation. In other words, the program defines the project portfolios within organizations, rather than the other way around. Public organizations are not autonomous.
More…
To read entire Letter to the Editor, click here
How to cite this work: Gasik, S. (2025). On the Subject of PMI’s draft PMBOK8, Letter to the Editor, PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue I, January. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/pmwj148-Jan2025-Gasik-on-PMIs-draft-PMBOK8-Letter-to-Editor.pdf
