PMP Integration Management: Practice Questions & Guide
Integration management is the work of keeping project decisions, delivery, governance, and value aligned. The July 2026 PMP exam is organized by People, Process, and Business Environment rather than legacy knowledge-area counts, but integration remains essential whenever a scenario crosses plans, stakeholders, delivery approaches, or business outcomes.
The project charter is the document that formally authorizes the project and gives the PM authority. The project management plan integrates subsidiary plans (scope, schedule, cost, quality, resource, communications, risk, procurement, stakeholder) into a cohesive whole. The PM's primary role in integration is coordination, ensuring all knowledge areas work together.
Manage project knowledge is about creating new knowledge and using existing knowledge. This includes lessons learned, which should be captured throughout the project, not just at the end. The lessons learned register is a living document updated during every phase.
For the active exam, also connect integration decisions to outcomes. When a proposed change affects benefits, sustainability, AI use, compliance, or stakeholder expectations, assess the impact across the project and involve the authority defined by governance. The best answer is rarely to update one plan in isolation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who creates the project charter?
- The project charter is issued by the sponsor or an external initiator who has authority to fund and authorize the project. The PM may assist in developing the charter but does not formally issue it. The charter gives the PM authority to apply organizational resources.
- What is the project management plan?
- The project management plan is the comprehensive document that integrates all subsidiary plans (scope, schedule, cost, quality, resource, communications, risk, procurement, stakeholder) and baselines. It defines how the project will be executed, monitored, controlled, and closed.
- When should lessons learned be captured?
- Lessons learned should be captured continuously throughout the project, not just at the end. The lessons learned register is updated during each phase and activity. This ensures knowledge is available when it is most useful, during the project, not only after it ends.
- What is in the project charter for the PMP exam?
- The charter formally authorizes the project and gives the PM authority. It typically includes high-level scope, objectives, key stakeholders, assumptions, constraints, and approval authority. It is created before detailed planning. The PM does not issue the charter, the sponsor or initiator does.
- What happens during project closure?
- Project closure includes completing all work, closing procurements/contracts, releasing resources, handing off deliverables, obtaining formal acceptance, documenting lessons learned, archiving records, and closing out financial and administrative activities. The PM ensures nothing is left open and the project is formally closed.
- How many integration management questions are on the PMP exam?
- PMI does not publish topic-specific counts. Integration runs across all domains because it ties processes together. Expect questions on the charter (who issues it), the project management plan, integrated change control, lessons learned (when to capture), and project closure. 'What should the PM do next?' often involves an integration process.