PMP Tutorial › Module 2 › Lesson 4
Project Life Cycles & PMBOK 7
This lesson covers two big ideas: the life cycles a project can follow, and the PMBOK 7 principles-based framework that underpins modern project management. Together they shape how you'll answer most exam questions.
In this lesson
Project life cycles
A life cycle is the series of phases a project passes through. Know these five terms:
- Predictive (waterfall): scope, schedule and cost are fixed early; one delivery at the end. Best for low-uncertainty work.
- Iterative: repeat cycles to refine and improve a solution before final delivery.
- Incremental: deliver finished pieces of the product progressively.
- Adaptive (agile): iterative + incremental with short cycles and frequent feedback; embraces change.
- Hybrid: a deliberate mix — e.g. predictive for stable parts, agile for uncertain parts.
The 12 PMBOK 7 principles
PMBOK 7 is principles-based. These twelve "rules of thumb" guide behaviour; the exam tests their spirit through scenarios.
- Stewardship — act with integrity, care and trustworthiness.
- Team — build a collaborative team environment.
- Stakeholders — engage them effectively.
- Value — focus on outcomes and value, not just outputs.
- Systems thinking — see and respond to interactions.
- Leadership — show leadership behaviours at every level.
- Tailoring — fit the approach to the context.
- Quality — build it in, don't inspect it in.
- Complexity — navigate it deliberately.
- Risk — optimise responses to threats and opportunities.
- Adaptability & resiliency — bounce back and adjust.
- Change — enable and guide it toward the future state.
The 8 performance domains
Performance domains are the interacting areas of activity that produce outcomes:
| Stakeholders | Productive relationships and engagement |
| Team | Building and leading the people doing the work |
| Development Approach & Life Cycle | Choosing predictive, agile or hybrid |
| Planning | Organising and coordinating the work |
| Project Work | Running processes, managing resources and engagement |
| Delivery | Meeting scope and quality to deliver value |
| Measurement | Assessing performance and taking action |
| Uncertainty | Dealing with risk, ambiguity and complexity |
Tailoring
Tailoring is deliberately choosing and adjusting your approach, processes and tools to fit the project's context — its size, risk, industry and culture. PMBOK 7 makes tailoring central: there is no one-size-fits-all method. On the exam, the "best" answer often involves adapting the process sensibly rather than rigidly following a template.