PMBOK 4 versus 5

So the PMBOK standard changed again, like it does every four years. Any major differences?

Looks like they made it bigger, no surprise there. 618 versus 497 pages. But the big difference can be spotted on the map. The matrix that shows the processes in Process Groups versus Knowledge areas has changed: See the new one below:

PMBOK edition 5. 2013

Compare this to the fourth edition:

PMBOK edition 4. 2008

So they have decided to add another knowledge area: Stakeholder management along with a couple more processes within this knowledge area.

They also added the plan process for the knowledge areas that lacked this in the past: Scope, Time and Cost. So I suppose it has become more standardized though I question if all these planning activities were needed in the first place. Do we really need to plan how to plan?

They did change some of the names of the processes so that it's easier to see that they fall under Monitoring and Control. Control Quality, Control Communications and Control Procurements versus Perform, Report or Administer.

But the tools, inputs and outputs have been radically changed. See this link to a new cheat-sheet for studying for your PMP exam. They have added 'Meetings' to the list of tools in about half of the processes. Really? Like we don't already have too many meetings? 

Anyway, prepare to take the new test starting in August.