The foundation of a successful project management system (PMS) is built on project management standards and templates developed to serve the project management environment. The PMBOK® Guide (PMI, 2021) described a standard as “a document established by an authority, custom, or a general consensus that provides a model, rules, guidelines, or characteristics for common and repeated use intended to achieve an optimum degree of conformity in practical application” (p.250). In this context, a standard of practice manual describes with sufficient specificity the methods, practices, or procedures to guide the conduct, performance, and conformance of work activities and outcomes within technical, engineering, construction, and other professional disciplines to accomplish desired predictable and repeatable results.

For the professional practice of project management, the PMBOK® Guide (PMI, 2021) frames the foundation of the project management environments standards of practice for organizations of all sizes and industries through the global marketplace. A practical means of assisting in the adoption and uniform application of project management standards in support of the PMS is using function-based project management templates. The PMBOK® Guide (PMI, 2017) defines a template as “a partially complete document in a predefined format that provides a defined structure for collecting, organizing, and presenting information and data.” (p. 251).

The following resources, available from the Project Management Institute (PMI), include project management practice standards, practice guides, and templates.

Templates and Trackers