Glossary Flashcards
Glossary of terms (124 cards)
1
Q
5 Whys Method
A
An effective tool for root cause analysis in which the question “Why?” is asked of a problem in succession until the root cause is found. Developed by Sakichi Toyoda, a Japanese inventor and industrialist, the 5 Whys method is an integral part of the Lean philosophy.
2
Q
Sakichi Toyoda
A
Sakichi Toyoda, a Japanese inventor and industrialist who created the the 5 Whys method is an integral part of the Lean philosophy. An effective tool for root cause analysis in which the question “Why?” is asked of a problem in succession until the root cause is found.
3
Q
80/20 Rule
A
A general guideline with many applications; in terms of controlling processes, it contends that a relatively large number of problems or defects, typically 80%, are commonly due to a relatively small number of causes, typically 20%. See also “Pareto Chart”.
4
Q
A/B Testing
A
A marketing approach used to determine user preferences by showing different sets of users’ similar services—an ‘Alpha’ and a ‘Beta’ version—with one independent variable.
5
Q
Accept
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A strategy for managing negative risks or opportunities that involves acknowledging risk and not taking any action until the risk occurs.
6
Q
Acceptance Criteria
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A set of conditions that is required to be met before deliverables are accepted.
7
Q
Accepted Deliverables
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Deliverables that meet the acceptance criteria and have been formally signed off and approved by the customer or sponsor as part of the scope validation process.
8
Q
Active Listening
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A communication technique that involves acknowledging the speaker’s message and the recipient clarifying the message to confirm that what was heard matches the message that the sender intended.
9
Q
Activity
A
A distinct portion of work, scheduled with a beginning and an end, that must be performed to complete work on the project. Also known as a schedule activity. See also “Task”.
10
Q
Activity Attributes
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Multiple attributes associated with each activity that can be included within the activity list.
11
Q
Activity Cost Estimates
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Each task is assigned a budget, and the aggregate of these estimates results in the project budget. Activity cost estimates include labor, materials, equipment, and fixed cost items like contractors, services, facilities, financing costs, etc. This information can be presented in a detailed or summarized form.
12
Q
Activity Dependency
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A logical relationship that exists between two project activities. The relationship indicates whether the start of an activity is contingent upon an event or input from outside the activity.
13
Q
Activity Duration Estimates
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The quantitative assessments of the likely number of time periods that are required to complete an activity.
14
Q
Activity List
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A documented tabulation of schedule activities that shows the activity description, activity identifier, and a sufficiently detailed scope-of-work description so project team members understand what work is to be performed.
15
Q
Activity on Arrow or Activity on Node
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A graphical diagram on which schedule activities are represented by nodes (rectangle boxes) and their dependencies are depicted by arrows.
16
Q
Activity Resource Estimates
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Material and human resources that are needed to complete an activity; often expressed by a probability or range.
17
Q
Activity Resource Requirements
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The resources (physical, human, and organizational) required to complete the activities in the activity list.
18
Q
Actual Cost (AC)
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Earned Value Management term for the realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time.
19
Q
Adaptive
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A type of project life cycle or methodology that values responding to change over following a set plan. Adaptive methodologies seek solutions that deliver maximum value to the customer.
20
Q
Administrative Closure
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Involves verifying and documenting project results to formalize project or phase completion.
21
Q
Affinity Diagram
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A technique that allows large numbers of ideas to be classified into groups for review and analysis.
22
Q
Affinity Estimating
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Technique designed to rapidly estimate large stories (epics or features) in the backlog. For example: T-Shirt sizing, coffee cup sizes, or Fibonacci sequence.
23
Q
Agile
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A term used to describe a mindset of values and principles as set forth in the Agile Manifesto.
See also “Agile Life Cycle,” Agile Manifesto,” “Agile Practitioner,” and “Agile Principles.”
24
Q
Agile Coach
A
A process role on a project team that helps organizations achieve true agility by coaching teams across the enterprise on how to apply agile practices and choose their best way of working. See also “scrum master.”
25
Agile Estimating
An approach that assists with planning a project appropriately from the beginning to ensure the team can focus on the quality of each deliverable.
26
Agile Life Cycle
An approach that is both iterative and incremental to refine work items and deliver frequently.
27
Agile Manifesto
In 2001, a group of 17 software developers met in Snowbird, Utah to discuss lightweight software development. Based on their experience, they came up with the four core values of agile software development as stated by the Agile Manifesto are: individuals and interactions over processes and tools; working software over comprehensive documentation; customer collaboration over contract negotiation; and responding to change over following a plan.
28
Agile Modeling
A representation of the workflow of a process or system that the team can review before it is implemented in code.
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Agile Practitioner
A person embracing the agile mindset who collaborates with like-minded colleagues in cross- functional teams. Also referred to as an agilist.
30
Agile Principles
A set of 12 guidelines that support the Agile Manifesto and which practitioners and teams should internalize and act upon.
1. Customer satisfaction by early and continuous delivery of valuable software
2. Welcome changing requirements, even in late development
3. Deliver working software frequently (weeks rather than months)
4. Close, daily cooperation between business and technical people
5. Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted
6. Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication (colocation)
7. Working software is the primary measure of progress
8. Sustainable development, able to maintain a constant pace
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design
10. Simplicity is essential
11. Best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams
12. Regularly, the team reflects on how to become more effective, and adjusts accordingly
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Agile Release Planning
A process in which a team determines the number of iterations or Sprints that are needed to complete each release, the features that each iteration will contain, and the target dates of each release.
32
Agile Space
Team space that encourages colocation, collaboration, communication, transparency, and visibility.
33
Agreements
Any documents or communication that defines the initial intentions of a project. Examples include contracts, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), service-level agreements (SLAs), letters of agreement, letters of intent, verbal agreements, email, or other written agreements.
34
Allowable Costs
Costs that are allowed under the terms of the contract. Typically, allowable costs become relevant under certain types of cost-reimbursable contracts in which the buyer reimburses the seller’s allowable costs.
35
Analogous Estimating
A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity on a project using historical data from a similar activity or project. Also known as “Top-Down Estimating”.
36
Analytical Techniques
Logical approach that looks at the relationship between outcomes and the factors that can influence them.
37
Approved Change Requests
Change requests that have been reviewed and approved by the change control board (CCB) and are ready to be scheduled for implementation.
38
Artifact
Any project management processes, inputs, tools, techniques, outputs, EEFs, and OPAs that the project management team uses on their specific project. They are subject to configuration management and are maintained and archived by the team.
39
Assumption
Anything considered to be true while planning. Assumptions should be documented and validated and are often closely linked to constraints.
40
Assumption and Constraint Analysis
A process that explores the validity of the project assumptions within the constraints and identifies risks from any incompleteness or inaccuracy of these project assumptions.
41
Assumption Log
A list of all uncertainties that are treated as true for the purpose of planning.
42
Attribute Sampling Data
Data that is counted such as the number of product defects or customer complaints.
43
Audit
An examination of a project’s goals and achievements, including adequacy, accuracy, efficiency, effectiveness, and the project’s compliance with applicable methodologies and regulations. It tends to be a formal, one-sided process that can be extremely demoralizing to team members.
44
Autocratic
A group decision-making method in which one member of the group makes the decision. In most cases, this person will consider the larger group’s ideas and decisions and will then make a decision based on that input.
45
Avoid
A strategy for managing negative risks or threats that involves changing the project management plan to remove the risk entirely by extending the schedule, changing the strategy, increasing the funding, or reducing the scope.
46
Backlog
The prioritized list of all the work, presented in story form, for a project team. See also “Iteration Backlog”.
47
Backlog Refinement
The progressive elaboration of project requirements and/or the ongoing activity in which the team collaboratively reviews, updates, and writes requirements to satisfy the need of the customer request.
48
Backward Pass
Technique for calculating the late start and late finish dates of the schedule activities. This is part of the critical path method and is paired with forward pass to determine activity and schedule float along with the critical path.
49
Bar Chart
A graphic display of schedule-related information. In the typical bar chart, schedule activities or WBS components are listed down the left side of the chart, dates are shown across the top, and activity durations are shown as date-placed horizontal bars. See also “Gantt Chart”.
50
Baseline
Original objectives plus approved change requests for scope, schedule, cost, and resources required to finish the project. Baselines represent the approved plan, and they are useful for measuring how actual results deviate from the plan.
51
Benchmarking
The comparison of actual or planned products, processes, and practices to those of comparable organizations to identify best practices, generate ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for measuring performance.
52
Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR)
The ratio of the expected benefits and the anticipated costs.
53
Benefits Management Plan
The documented explanation defining the processes for creating, maximizing, and sustaining the benefits provided by a project or program. It also describes how and when the benefits of a project will be derived and measured. Both the business case and the benefits management plan are developed with the benefits owner prior to the project being initiated. Additionally, both documents are referenced after the project has been completed. Therefore, they are considered business documents rather than project documents or components of the project management plan.
54
Bidder Conferences
The meetings with prospective sellers prior to the preparation of a bid or proposal to ensure all prospective vendors have a clear and common understanding of the procurement. Also called vendor conferences, pre-bid conferences, or contractor conferences.
55
Bottom-Up Estimating
A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower- level components of the WBS.
56
Brainstorming
A simple technique used to generate a list of ideas. It should be led by a facilitator with a group consisting of stakeholders, team members, and subject matter experts. After quickly generating a list of alternatives, the group then performs analysis of the alternatives and generally chooses a particular option for action.
57
Breach of Contract
The failure to meet some or all the obligations of a contract.
58
Budget
A time-phased plan for when funds will be disbursed on a project. It helps the organization anticipate when money will be coming in and/or going out, for the duration of the project. Budget accuracy is dependent upon a well-defined project scope and schedule. The total project budget is the cost baseline plus management reserves. See also “Cost Baseline”.
59
Budget at Completion (BAC)
The sum of all budgets established to provide financial support for the work to be performed.
60
Buffer
A planning term related to contingency. See also “Reserve”.
61
Burn Chart
A tool that is used to track the progress of the project by plotting the number of days of sprint against the number of hours of work remaining. It is used to communicate progress during and at the end of an iteration/sprint/ increment, showing the number of stores that have been completed and the ones that remain. The concept is as the project progresses over time, the backlog of work will “burn down”/lessen.
62
Burn Rate
The rate at which the project consumes financial resources, representing negative cash flow. Burn rates are often used by agile projects to budget costs for planned iterations/sprints/increments.
63
Burndown Chart
A graphical representation of the work remaining versus the time left in a timebox.
64
Burnup Chart
A graphical representation of the work completed toward the release of a product.
65
Business Case
A documented economic feasibility study used to establish the validity of the benefits of a selected component lacking sufficient definition and that is used as a basis for the authorization of further project management activities.
66
Business Document
An artifact developed prior to the project, used as part of the business case, and which is reviewed periodically by a project professional to verify benefit delivery.
67
Business Requirement Documents (BRD)
Listing of all requirements for a specific project.
68
Business Risk
The inherent risk in any business endeavor that carries the potential for either profit or loss. Types of business risks are competitive, legislative, monetary, and operational.
69
Business Value
The net quantifiable benefit derived from a business endeavor. The benefit may be tangible, intangible, or both.
70
Cadence
A rhythm of execution. Also see “time box.”
71
Capability Maturity Model Information (CMMI)
The CMMI provides a framework for the integration of process improvement for multiple process areas. Associated with quality management.
72
Cause and Effect Diagram
This diagram shows the relationship between causes and effects. Primarily used in root cause analysis (risk and quality) to uncover the causes of risks, problems, or issues. See also “Fishbone Diagram” and “Ishikawa Diagram”.
73
Cease and Desist Letter
A legal document sent to an individual or a business with the direct intention of stopping specific activities and preventing their occurrence or recurrence.
74
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
PMI® Certification that offers recognition to practitioners who are interested in or are just starting a career in project management, as well as project team members who wish to demonstrate their project management knowledge. This certification denotes that the individual possesses the knowledge in the principles and terminology of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), which outlines generally recognized good practices in project management.
75
Change Control
Purposeful management of changes to the project (scope, schedule, cost, or quality). In change control, a change request goes through a formal process before a decision (approve/deny) is made.
76
Change Control Board (CCB)
A formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes to the project and for recording and communicating such decisions.
77
Change Control Form
A document used to request a project change. They can also be recommendations for taking corrective or preventive actions. See also “Change Request”.
78
Change Control System
A set of procedures that describes how modifications to the project deliverables and documentation are managed and controlled.
79
Change Log
A living list of all project change requests (CR). This log is used to track and provide accurate status of each CR (requester, owner, details, impact analysis, decision, etc.)
80
Change Management
A comprehensive, cyclic, and structured approach for transitioning individuals, groups, and organizations from a current state to a future state in which they realize desired benefits. It is different from project change control, which is a process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines associated with the project are identified and documented, and then are approved or rejected.
81
Change Management Plan
A component of the project management plan that establishes the Change Control Board, documents the extent of its authority, and describes how the change control system will be implemented.
82
Change Request (CR)
Request for change sent to upper management or the Change Control Board (CCB) for its evaluation and approval. See also “Change Control Form”.
83
Charter
A shortened name for the project charter. A formal document that starts the project. Typically used by the project sponsor and the project manager, this document provides the reason for the project (based on business case) and may include high-level requirements, assumptions, constraints, milestone(s), and preliminary budget. See also “Project Charter”.
84
Checklist
A set of procedural instructions used to ensure that a product or component quality is achieved.
85
Checklist Analysis
A technique for systematically reviewing materials using a list for accuracy and completeness.
86
Claim
An issue with the contract brought by one party against another. Claims must be resolved before the contract can be properly closed out.
87
Close Project or Phase Process
The process of finalizing all activities for the project, phase, or contract.
88
Close-Out Meetings
Sessions held at the end of a project or phase during which teams discuss work and capture lessons learned.
89
Closing Process Group
One of the five Project Management Process Groups. It consists of those processes performed to formally complete or close the project, phase, or contract.
90
Coach
An agile servant leader role that exists to help the team and identify and remove any impediments (obstacles).
91
Coaching
The act of giving guidance and direction to another person to facilitate personal and/or professional growth and development.
92
Code of Accounts
A numbering system used to uniquely identify each component of the work-break-down (WBS).
93
Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
A PMI® published body of knowledge that describes the ethical, professional behavior and expectations of an individual working as a project management professional (PMP®).
94
Collaboration
The act of working together and sharing information to create deliverables, work products or results.
95
Collect Requirements Process
The process in which requirements documentation is developed. Precedes the Define Scope process.
96
Colocation
An organizational placement strategy in which the project team members are physically located close to one another to improve communication, working relationships, and productivity.
97
Common Cause
A reason contributing to a quality problem that is usually considered acceptable. Common causes are considered unpreventable or if they are preventable, the cost of prevention would not justify the benefit. Opposite of “Special Cause”.
98
Communication
Act of accurately encoding, sending, receiving, decoding, and verifying messages. Communication between sender and receiver may be oral or written, formal or informal.
99
Communication Channels
The number of possible communication paths on a project. The formula for calculating communication channels is: [n(n-1)]/2; n=number of people on the project.
100
Communication Method
A systematic procedure, technique, or process used to transfer information among project stakeholders.
101
Communication Models
A description, analogy, or schematic used to represent how the communication process will be performed for the project.
102
Communication Requirements Analysis
An analytical technique to determine the information needs of the project stakeholders through interviews, workshops, or study of lessons learned from previous projects, etc.
103
Communication Styles Assessment
A technique to identify the preferred communication method, format, and content for stakeholders for planned communication activities.
104
Communication Technology
Specific tools, automated systems, computer programs, etc., used to transfer information among project stakeholders.
105
Communications Management Plan
A component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how, when, and by whom information about the project will be administered and disseminated.
106
Community of Practice (CoP)
As described by E. Wenger in his book, Cultivating Communities of Practice, the CoP uses the same basic idea as used by Shell in their offshore drilling platforms to establish local forums of “experts” with the specific mandate to create an arena in which project managers would feel comfortable sharing their findings and learnings from their projects.
107
Completion Contract
A type of contract that is completed when the vendor delivers the product to the buyer and the buyer accepts the product.
108
Complexity
A characteristic of a program, project, or its environment, which is difficult to manage due to human behavior, system behavior, or ambiguity.
109
Compliance
The state of meeting—or being in accord with—organizational, legal, certification or other relevant regulations.
110
Compromise
An option in conflict management in which both parties give up something to reach an agreement.
111
Conduct Procurement Process
The process of obtaining seller responses, selecting a seller, and awarding a contract.
112
What is the Cone of Uncertainty?
An Agile term describing the difficulty of estimating early due to unknowns and how that should improve over time.
113
What is a Configuration Item?
Any component or project element that needs to be managed to ensure the successful delivery of the project, services, or result.
114
What is Configuration Management?
A tool used to manage changes to a product or service being produced as well as changes to any of the project documents.
115
What is a Configuration Management Plan?
A component of the project management plan that describes how to identify and account for project artifacts under configuration control and how to record and report changes to them.
116
What is a Configuration Management System?
A collection of procedures used to track project artifacts and monitor and control changes to these artifacts.
117
What is Conflict in project management?
Difference of opinion or agenda on a project amongst team members, stakeholders, or customers.
118
What is Conflict Management?
The application of one or more strategies for dealing with disagreements that may be detrimental to team performance.
119
What is Conflict Resolution?
The process of working to reach an agreement after a conflict situation arises.
120
What is Consensus?
Group decision technique in which the group agrees to support an outcome even if the individuals do not agree with the decision.
121
What is a Constraint?
An external factor that limits the ability to plan. Constraints and assumptions are closely linked.
122
What is a Context Diagram?
A visual depiction of the product scope showing a business system (process, equipment, computer system, etc.), and how people and other systems (actors) interact with it.
123
What is a Contingency Plan?
A risk response strategy developed in advance before risks occur; it is meant to be used if and when identified risks become reality.
124
What is a Contingency Reserve?
Time or money allocated in the schedule or cost baseline for known risks with active response strategies.
