Project Management Domains: UNCERTAINTY: ncertainty Performance Domain: How to Deal with Risk in a VUCA Context

Uncertainty has always been implicit in the nature of projects. As project managers, we are always working to bring control to a novel and potentially disorderly state. And, in the seventh edition of their Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (the PMBOK Guide), the Project Management Institute (PMI) makes this abundantly clear.
PMBOK 7 has, as one of its eight Project Performance Domains, Uncertainty. Not risk or risk management. But rather, the cause of risk: uncertainty. Indeed, this domain is structured around the 21st Century buzzword for the kind of environment we work in: VUCA.
VUCA stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous and is the very nature of a project before we bring our controls to it. And, when we do so, we can calm volatility, resolve ambiguity, simplify complexity, and reduce uncertainty. But we can never eliminate them.
So, this is an important topic.
Uncertainty
This eBook covers the last of the eight Project Performance Domains in the 7th edition of the PMI’s Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (the PMBOK Guide).
In it you will find:
• My introduction to the PMBOK Guide’s Project Performance Domains: what they are and why I think they matter.
• An overview of the Uncertainty Performance Domain. This includes a summary of what the PMBOK Guide includes, and my critical evaluation of it.
• A careful selection from my website articles about Uncertainty.
All the content of this eBook has appeared on my website at no charge. So, why have I created this eBook – and why am I selling it?
The simple reason is convenience. It collates a whole set of content that forms a coherent whole. I believe it will be especially useful for students who are studying the 7th Edition of the PMBOK Guide. Most likely, you’d be doing so as part of your preparation for a PMI certification exam, like PMP (Project Management Professional) or CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management).
But this book is not solely (nor even largely) focused on exam preparation. The way I talk about Uncertainty is not necessarily aligned with the PMI’s own approach. Although, I am confident it aligns with good practice in any type of project and in any part of the world. However, you will always need to filter ideas and advice through the constraints and characteristics of your own situation and culture.
Summary
I hope this short, low-cost eBook will be a great asset to anyone who needs to understand Uncertainty. It takes you beyond the content of simple Project Management texts, like the PMBOK Guide, or basic Project Management courses. And it will equip you with some of the core knowledge you need to understand and manage project uncertainty.

Chapter List
1. Project Performance Domains: What Are They and Why Do They Matter?
2. Uncertainty Performance Domain: How to Deal with Risk in a VUCA Context
3. Operating with Wisdom: How to Thrive in a VUCA Work Environment
4. Ultimate Guide to Project Risk Management
5. Indispensable Guide to the Sources of Project Risk
6. The Project Manager’s Guide to Simple Risk Analysis
7. Risk Response Strategies: Full Roundup
8. Issue Management: All You Need to Know about This Important Process
9. How to Build a Robust Project Risk Culture [8 Steps]
10. Appendix: The OODA Loop: Take Control of Your Project with this Powerful Idea