Aplicação das diretrizes do PMBOK na gestão de projetos na engenharia química: uma revisão bibliográfica crítica

Abstract

Project management has become an essential tool for planning, execution, and control of complex ventures across various engineering fields. In Chemical Engineering, the application of well-established methodologies such as the Project Management Body of Knowledge proves particularly relevant due to the technical, interdisciplinary, and regulatory nature of projects. The seventh edition of the guide, published by the Project Management Institute (PMI) in 2021, introduced significant changes by shifting from a process-centered approach to one based on guiding principles and performance domains, offering greater flexibility and strategic alignment with diverse contexts. This study aims to critically analyze, through a bibliographic review, the application of PMBOK guidelines in Chemical Engineering projects, based on classical project management authors — such as Kerzner (2025), Cleland and Ireland (2007), Meredith and Mantel Jr. (2012) —, international standards such as ISO 21500:2021, complementary approaches such as Agile and Scrum methodologies (Highsmith, 2009; Schwaber and Sutherland, 2020), and case studies applied to industrial and academic sectors (Bastos, Pereira Junior, and Pereira, 2025; Vaz, 2021; Paiva and Morabito, 2014), including contributions from studies by Ferreira (2023), Freitas (2024), and Naves (2020), Chemical Engineering graduates from the Federal University of Uberlândia. The analysis highlights the use of tools such as the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), the Critical Path Method (CPM), the Gantt chart, and risk management as key elements for success in highly technical and regulated industrial environments. The results show that when adapted to the specific needs of Chemical Engineering, the PMBOK significantly contributes to increased operational efficiency, risk mitigation, resource optimization, and the promotion of sustainability. The literature indicates that project success is strongly linked to organizational maturity in management, the technical training of engineers, and the integration of planning, execution, and control. The study concludes by recommending the adoption of hybrid approaches that combine the rigor of PMBOK with the agility of contemporary models, reinforcing the importance of managerial training in the profile of the chemical engineer