According to the PMI Talent Triangle, project managers require a balance of three skill sets: Ways of Working (Technical Project Management), Power Skills (Interpersonal), and Business Acumen.
Technical Project Management (Ways of Working): These are the skills and knowledge related to the specific domains of project, program, and portfolio management. They are the " nuts and bolts " of the profession.
Managing a project schedule is a quintessential technical skill because it requires the application of specific tools and techniques such as Critical Path Method (CPM), Gantt charts, and resource leveling to ensure the project meets its time constraints.
Other Technical Skills include:
Cost estimating and budgeting.
Risk management planning.
Scope definition and WBS creation.
Earned Value Management (EVM).
Analysis of other options:
Developing a project delivery strategy (Option B): This is primarily a Business Acumen (formerly Strategic and Business Management) skill. It involves high-level decision-making about how the project fits into the organization ' s broader goals and choosing between waterfall, agile, or hybrid approaches based on the business environment.
Establishing a project team (Option C): This falls under Power Skills (Leadership/Interpersonal). It involves recruiting, motivating, and organizing people, which relies more on emotional intelligence and soft skills than technical project mechanics.
Understanding organizational objectives (Option D): This is a core Business Acumen skill. It requires the project manager to understand the " big picture " -why the project exists and how it contributes to the company ' s bottom line or strategic mission.
Per PMI standards, while all these skills are necessary for success, Technical Project Management skills are defined by the ability to apply the specific methodologies and processes found within the PMBOK Guide.