A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (Pmbok(r) Guide) -- Eighth Edition and the Standard for Project Management

By Project Management Institute PMI

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK(R) Guide)--Eighth Edition and The Standard for Project Management represents the most data-driven and community-informed update in the guide's history.

Developed through extensive global research and practitioner collaboration, it incorporates input from thousands of project professionals and more than 48,000 data points.

Building on the long-standing legacy of PMI, the Eighth Edition blends mindset, technical, and practical guidance to reflect how project management is practiced today. It introduces:

Six core principles that influence effective project management behaviorSeven performance domains that represent key areas of practiceExpanded coverage of AI, PMOs, and procurement, with reintroduced process guidance presented in an evolved, non-prescriptive way.

Together, these updates connect the why, what, and how of project management. With an emphasis on value delivery, adaptability, and accountability, this edition helps professionals at all levels achieve meaningful outcomes across a range of approaches and environments.

Whether you manage traditional initiatives or lead agile transformations, the PMBOK(R) Guide - Eighth Edition provides clarity, relevance, and confidence for modern project delivery.

What You'll Learn

1. Connect projects to organizational value
Learn how to align project outcomes with strategic goals through a system for value delivery.

2. Apply six core principles for effective leadership
Adopt a holistic view, focus on value, embed quality, lead accountably, integrate sustainability, and build empowered teams.

3. Master the seven performance domains
Strengthen your capabilities in governance, scope, schedule, finance, stakeholders, resources, and risk.

4. Tailor for your context
Learn how to adapt practices, tools, and techniques to fit your team, organization, and environment.

5. Explore new and emerging topics
Gain insights into AI, PMOs, and procurement, with practical guidance informed by modern challenges.

6. Navigate with clarity and confidence
Benefit from an evolved structure that connects principles, domains, and focus areas in a clear, actionable way.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1628258292
• ISBN13: 9781628258295
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Project Management Institute
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.3" x 10.8"

Customer Reviews

Do not panic

For those new to this book, it is pretty much the project manager's bible in the same sense that "The C Programming Language" by Brian W Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie is to programming. That is to say, this is the one to get off the ground with. It is also the basis of the PMP (Project Management Professional) test given by the PMI® (Project Management Institute). It comes in both paper and CD-ROM formats using Adobe Reader. I have seen the paper book, but bought the CD version, which includes a tutorial on how to use CD-ROM media. The media is a matter of preference. There are 425 pages, and it has a good index and references. Be aware that there are earlier versions. At the time of this review, this is the latest version; however, as The Body of Knowledge advances, so will the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide ®). Therefore, it is advisable for people who have read the earlier version to now read this version, as a few terms have changed, and some emphases have shifted. As with any institutional book, this is a good starting place or a solid foundation. However, it may not cover concentrating on the waterfall concept of project management in many instances, such as the Unified method, among others. They also do not take in many external influences as FDA requirements. And it is up to the reader to reconcile the two institutions. Each edition is useful, but Project Management is an ongoing process. For example, some changes from the second edition to the Third Edition: * Differences in the Project life cycle and the product life cycle are better explained. * The number of the process changed from 39 to 44. * A greater emphasis is placed on the importance of Process Groups. * Chapter three, "Project Management Process for a Project," is moved and renamed "The Standard for Project Management of a Project." * The project management processes now show process integration. As you can see 1st edition (1 Jan. 2009)? 3rd edition (1 Nov. 2004) 4th edition (9 Oct. 2010) 5th edition (1 Jan. 2013) 6th edition (22 Sept. 2017) 7th edition (31 Mar. 2021) 8th edition still in the making as of (2025)