Project Management guide · Project management fundamentals
Principles of Project Management: 12 Principles Explained
Methods and tools change, but good project management rests on a stable set of principles. Recent professional standards, including the seventh edition of PMI's PMBOK Guide, express these as twelve principles that apply to every approach, from Waterfall to Agile.
Key takeaways
- Principles guide decisions where processes don't.
- Twelve widely used principles cover stewardship, value, tailoring, risk and change.
- They apply across predictive, Agile and hybrid approaches.
The twelve principles
| Principle | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Be a diligent, respectful and caring steward | Act with integrity and care for people, resources and the environment |
| Create a collaborative team environment | Clear roles, shared agreements and mutual support |
| Effectively engage with stakeholders | Involve stakeholders early and often |
| Focus on value | Judge success by the value delivered, not just outputs |
| Recognise and respond to system interactions | See the project as part of a wider system |
| Demonstrate leadership behaviours | Motivate, influence and support others |
| Tailor based on context | Adapt the approach to the project, team and organisation |
| Build quality into processes and deliverables | Prevent defects rather than inspect them out |
| Navigate complexity | Use iteration and feedback when outcomes are uncertain |
| Optimise risk responses | Address threats and opportunities proportionately |
| Embrace adaptability and resiliency | Plan for change and recover from setbacks |
| Enable change to achieve the envisioned future state | Help people adopt new ways of working |
The list follows the principles in the PMBOK Guide, seventh edition (2021), in our own words. Check PMI for the current edition.
Why principles matter
Principles guide decisions when no process covers the situation. They also make it easier to work across methods: a Scrum team and a PRINCE2 project board can share the same principles even if their practices differ.
Applying them
- Use them as a checklist when tailoring your approach.
- Review them in lessons-learned sessions.
- Discuss them with stakeholders to set shared expectations.
Frequently asked questions
How many principles of project management are there?
The PMBOK Guide, seventh edition, lists twelve. Other frameworks, such as PRINCE2, have their own seven principles.
Do Agile and traditional projects share the same project management principles?
Largely yes. Value, collaboration, adaptability and quality apply to every approach.
What are the 12 principles of project management?
In the PMBOK Guide, seventh edition: stewardship, team, stakeholders, value, systems thinking, leadership, tailoring, quality, complexity, risk, adaptability and resiliency, and change.
What is the difference between project management principles and processes?
Principles are guiding ideas that shape decisions; processes are defined steps for doing specific work. Principles apply even where no process fits.
What are the seven PRINCE2 project management principles?
Continued business justification, learn from experience, defined roles and responsibilities, manage by stages, manage by exception, focus on products and tailor to suit the project. See PRINCE2.
What does tailoring mean as a project management principle?
Adapting the approach, processes and level of detail to fit the project, team and organisation rather than applying everything by default.
What does focus on value mean in the project management principles?
Judging success by the benefits and outcomes delivered, not just by producing outputs on time and on budget.
What is stewardship as a project management principle?
Acting with integrity, care and responsibility for people, resources and the environment while managing the project.
Why did PMI move from processes to project management principles?
The seventh edition of the PMBOK Guide shifted to principles and performance domains to support a wider range of approaches, including Agile and hybrid. See PMBOK Guide.
How do you apply project management principles?
Use them as a checklist when tailoring your approach, review them in lessons-learned sessions and discuss them with stakeholders to set shared expectations.
Are project management principles tested on the PMP exam?
The PMP exam is based on PMI's exam content outline, which draws on several sources including the PMBOK Guide. Understanding the principles helps with situational questions.