Glossary of Terms Flashcards
(350 cards)
1
Q
ACTIVITY
A
A distinct scheduled portion of work performed during a project.
2
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%.
3
Q
AB TESTING
A
A marketing approach used to determine user preferences by showing different sets of users similar services with an independent variable.
4
Q
AC
A
(ACTUAL COST)
The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time.
5
Q
ACCEPT
A
A strategy for managing negative risks or opportunities that involves acknowledging a risk and not taking any action until the risk occurs.
6
Q
ACCEPTANCE CRITIERIA
A
A set of conditions that is required to be met before deliverables are accepted.
7
Q
ACTIVE LISTENING
A
A communication technique that involves acknowledging what you hear and clarifying the message to confirm that what you heard matches the message that the sender intended.
8
Q
ACTIVITY ATTRIBUTES
A
Multiple attributes associated with each schedule activity that can be included within the activity list.
9
Q
ACTIVITY DEPENDENCY
A
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.
10
Q
ACTIVITY DURATION ESTIMATES
A
The quantitative assessments of the likely number of time periods that are required to complete an activity.
11
Q
ACTIVITY LIST
A
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.
12
Q
ADMINISTRATIVE CLOSURE
A
Involves verifying and documenting project results to formalize project or phase completion.
13
Q
AFFINITY DIAGRAM
A
A technique that allows large numbers of ideas to be classified into groups for review and analysis.
14
Q
AGILE LIFE CYCLES
A
A project management methodology that uses an iterative and incremental approach that focuses on customer value and team empowerment.
In agile project management, the product is developed in iterations by small and integrated teams.
15
Q
AGILE RELEASE PLANNING
A
A process in which you determine:
- the number of iterations or Sprints that are needed to complete each release,
- the feather that each iteration will contain, and
- the target dates of each release.
16
Q
AGREEMENTS
A
Any documents or communication that defines the initial intentions of a project.
Examples include: contracts, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), service level agreements (SLAs), letter of agreement, letters of intent, verbal agreements, email, or other written agreements.
17
Q
ANALOGOUS ESTIMATING
A
A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity on a project using historical data from a similar activity or project.
18
Q
APPROVED CHANGE REQUESTS
A
Change requests that have been reviewed and approved by the change control board (CCB) and are ready to be scheduled for implementation.
19
Q
ASSUMPTION AND CONSTRAINT ANALYSIS
A
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.
20
Q
ATTRIBUTE SAMPLING DATE
A
Data that is counted such as the number of product defects or customer complaints.
21
Q
AUDITING
A
An examination of a project’s goals and achievements, including:
adequacy, efficiency, effectiveness, and the projects’ compliance with applicable methodologies and regulations.
*It tends to be a formal, on-sided process that can be extremely demoralizing to team members.
22
Q
AUTOCRATIC
A
Using this group decision-making method, 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.
23
Q
AVOID
A
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 t funding, or reducing the scope.
24
Q
BAC
A
BUDGET AT COMPLETION
The sum of all budgets established for the work to be performed.
25
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.
26
BENCHMARKING
The comparison of actual or planned products, processes, and the practices to those of comparable organizations to identify best practices, generate ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for measuring performance.
27
BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS
A financial analysis tool used to determine the benefits provided by a project against its costs.
28
BENEFITS MANAGEMENT PLAN
The documented explanation defining the processes for creating, maximizing, and sustaining the benefits provided by a project or program.
29
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.
30
BOTTOM-UP ESTIMATING
A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower-level components of the WBS.
31
BRAINSTORMING
A technique that involves a facilitator to help a group identify project risks in a free-form session where ideas are generated, built on, and recorded.
32
BREACH OF CONTRACT
The failure to meet some or all the obligations of a contract.
33
BURNDOWN 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.
34
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.
35
BUSINESS RISK
The inherent risk in any business endeavor that carries the potential for either profit or loss.
Types of risks: competitive, legislative, monetary, and operational.
36
BUSINESS VALUE
The net quantifiable benefit derived from a business endeavor. The benefit may be tangible, intangible, or both.
37
CCB
Change Control Board
A formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes to the project, and for recording and communicating such decisions.
38
CEASE AND DESIST LETTER
A document sent to an individual or a business to stop (cease) allegedly illegal activities and to not undertake them again (desist).
39
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".
40
CHANGE CONTROL SYSTEM
A set of procedures that describe how modifications to the project deliverables and documentations are managed and controlled.
41
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
The process of managing project changes in a structured and standardized manner.
42
CHANGE MANAGEMENT PLAN
A component of the project management plan that establishes the Change Control Board, documents that extent of its authority, and describes how the change control system will be implemented.
43
CHANGE REQUEST
Request for change sent to the Change Control Board (CCB) for its evaluation and approval. See also "change control form".
44
CHECKLIST ANALYSIS
A technique for systematically reviewing materials using a list for accuracy and completeness.
45
CI
(Continuous Improvement)
The ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes.
46
CLOSE PROJECT OR PHASE PROCESS
The process of finalizing all activities for the project, phase, or contract.
47
CLOSE-OUT MEETINGS
Sessions help at the end of a project or phase; they involve discussing the work and capturing lessons learned.
48
CO-LOCATION
An organizational placement strategy where the project team members are physically located close to one another in order to improve communication, working relationships, and productivity.
49
COACHING
The act of giving guidance and direction to another person so that they can make better decisions.
50
CODE OF ACCOUNTS
A numbering system used to uniquely identify each component of the WBS.
51
CODE OF ETHICS AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
A PMI publication that describes the ethical and professional behavior expectations of an individual working as a project management professional.
52
COMMUNICATION METHODS
A systematic procedure, technique, or process used to transfer information among project stakeholders.
53
COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS
An analytical technique to determine the information needs of the project stakeholders through interviews, workshops, study of lessons learned from previous projects, etc.
54
COMMUNICATION STYLES ASSESSMENT
A technique to identify the preferred communication method, format, and content for stakeholders for planned communication activities.
55
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
Specific tools, systems, computer programs, etc., used to transfer information among project stakeholders.
56
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.
57
COMPLETION CONTRACT
A type of contract that is completed when the vendor delivers the product to the buyer and the buyer accepts the product.
58
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 such as schedule updates.
59
CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
A collection of procedures used to track project artifacts and monitor and control changes to these artifacts.
60
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
The application of one or more strategies for dealing with disagreements that may be detrimental to team performance.
61
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.
62
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.
63
CONTINGENCY RESERVES
Time or money allocated in the schedule or cost baseline for known risks with active response strategies.
64
CONTRACT CHANGE CONTROL SYSTEM
The system used to collect, track, adjudicate, and communicate changes to a contract.
65
CONTRACT
A mutually binding agreement that obligates the seller to provide the specified project or service or result and obligates the buyer to pay for it.
66
CONTROL ACCOUNT
A management control point where scope, budget, actual cost, and schedule are integrated and compare to earned value for performance measurement.
67
CONROL PROCUREMENTS PROCESS
The process of managing procurement relationships, monitoring contract performance, making changes and corrects as appropriate, and closing out contracts.
68
CONTROLLING PMO
A type of PMO that provides support and requires compliance through various means.
Compliance may involve adoption project management frameworks or methodologies; using specific templates, forms, and tools; or conformance to governance.
69
CoQ
(Cost of Quality)
All costs incurred over the life of the product by investment in preventing nonconformance to requirements, appraisal of the product or service for conformance to requirements, and failure to meet requirements.
70
COST AGGREGATION
Summing the lower-level cost estimates associated with the various work packages for a given level within the project's WBS or for a given cost control account.
71
COST BASELINE
The approved version of the time-phased project budget, excluding any management reserves, which can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to actual results.
72
COST MANAGMENT PLAN
A component of a project or program management plan that describes how costs will be planned, structured, and controlled.
73
COST OF CONFORMANCE
The money spent during a project to avoid failures.
This includes prevention costs that build a quality product and appraisal costs that assess the quality.
74
COST OF NON-CONFORMANCE
The money spent after a project is complete because of failures.
This includes internal and external failure costs.
75
CPAF Contract
(Cost Plus Award Fee contract)
A category of contract that involves payments to the seller for all legitimate actual costs incurred for completed work, plus an award fee representing seller profit.
76
CPFF Contract
(Cost Plus Fixed Fee contract)
A type of cost-reimbursable contract where the buyer reimburses the seller for the seller's allowable costs (allowable costs are defined by the contract) plus a fixed amount of profit (fee).
77
CPI
(Cost Performance Index)
A measure of the cost efficiency of budgeted resources expressed as the ratio of earned value to actual cost.
78
CPIF Contract
COST PLUS INCENTIVE FEE contract
A type of cost-reimbursable contract where the buyer reimburses the seller for the seller's allowable costs (as defined in the contract), and the seller earns its profit if it meets defined performance criteria.
79
CRITICAL PATH ACTIVITY
Any activity on the critical path in a project schedule.
80
CRITICAL PATH
The sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines the shortest possible duration.
81
CULTURAL AWARENESS
Understanding the cultural differences of the individuals, groups, and organizations in the project stakeholder community so you can adapt communication strategies to avoid or reduce miscommunication and misunderstandings.
82
CV
(COST VARIANCE)
The amount of budget deficit or surplus at a given point in time, expressed as the difference between the earned value and the actual cost.
83
DAILY STANDUP
A short, 15-minute meeting in which the complete team gets together for a quick status update while standing in a circle. Also referred to as a daily scrum.
84
DE FACTO REGULATIONS
Regulations that are widely accepted and adopted through use.
85
DE JURE REGULATIONS
Regulations that are mandated by law or have been approved by a recognized body of experts.
86
DEBRIEFING
A less formal, more cooperative means of discussing the positives and the negatives of the project, what worked, and what will be done differently next time. This discussion includes technology issues, people issues, vendor relationships, and organizational culture.
87
DECISION MAKING
The process of selecting a course of action from among multiple options.
88
DECISION TREE ANALYSIS
A diagramming and calculation technique for evaluating the implications of a chain of multiple option in the presence of uncertainty.
89
DECOMPOSITION
A technique used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables in to smaller, more manageable parts.
90
DELIVERABLE
Any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service that is required to be produced to complete a process, phase, or projects.
91
DIRECTION OF INFLUENCE
A classification model that groups stakeholders based on how they influence the project: upwards (senior management), downwards (team or specialists), outwards (external), sidewards (project manager's peers), and prioritization.
92
DIRECTIVE PMO
A type of PMO that takes control of projects by directly managing the projects.
93
DISCRETIONARY DEPENDENCY
A relationship that is established based on knowledge of best practices within a particular application area or an aspect of the project where a specific sequence is desired.
94
DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
A technique used to gain project requirements from current documentation evaluation.
95
DoD
(DEFINITION OF DONE)
A team's checklist of all the criteria required to be met so that a deliverable be considered ready for customer use.
96
DoR
(DEFINITION OF READY)
A team's checklist for a user-centric requirement that has all the information the team needs to be able to begin working on it.
97
EAC
ESTIMATE AT COMPLETION
The expected total cost of completing all work expressed as the sum of the actual cost to date and the estimate to complete.
98
EEF
ENTERPRISE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Conditions that are not under the immediate control of the team, and that influence, constrain, or direct the project, program or portfolio.
99
EFFECT-BASED RISK CLASSIFICATION
A way of analyzing the major risks inherent to a project that could have an impact on its success.
These major risks include time, cost, quality, and scope.
100
EFFORT
The number of labor units required to complete a scheduled activity or WBS component, often expressed in hours, days, or weeks. Contrast with duration.
101
EI
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
The ability to identify, assess, and manage the personal emotions of oneself and other people, as well as the collective emotions of groups of people.
EQ is also a commonly used abbreviation.
102
ELAPSED TIME
The actual calendar time required for an activity from start to finish.
103
EMV
EXPECTED MONETARY VALUE
A method of calculating the average outcome when the future is uncertain.
104
ENHANCE
A strategy for managing positive risks or opportunities that involves increasing the probability that the opportunity will happen, or the impact it will have by identifying the maximizing enablers of these opportunities.
105
ESCALATE
The strategy in which you determine that a threat is outside the scope of the project or beyond the project manager's authority. You then forward the threat to a person or part of the organization at a higher level.
106
ETC
ESTIMATE TO COMPLETE
The expected cost of finishing all the remaining project work.
107
EV
EARNED VALUE
A measure of work performed expressed in terms of the budget authorized for that work.
108
EVM
EARNED VALUE MANAGEMENT
A methodology that combines scope, schedule, and resource measurements to assess project performance and progress.
109
EXPERT JUDGMENT
Judgment provided based upon expertise in an application area, knowledge area, discipline, industry, etc., as appropriate for the activity being performed.
Such expertise may be provided by any group or person with specialized education, knowledge, skill, experience, or training.
110
EXPLICIT KNOWLEDGE
knowledge that can be codified using symbols such as words, numbers, and pictures. This type of knowledge can be documented and shared with others.
111
EXPLOIT
A strategy for managing positive risks or opportunities that in involves attempting to make sure that the opportunity happens.
112
EXTERNAL DEPENDENCY
Types of activity dependencies that exist between project activities and non-project activities and can be out of the projects control.
113
FACILITATED WORKSHOPS
Organized working sessions held by project managers to determine a project's requirements and to get all stakeholders together to agree on the project's outcomes.
114
FACILITATION
A skill used to lead or guide an assembled group toward a successful conclusion such as making a decision or finding a solution.
115
FF
FINISH-TO-FINISH
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has finished.
116
FFP contract
FIRM FIXED PRICE contract
A type of fixed price contract where the buyer pays the seller a set amount (as defined by the contract), regardless of the seller's costs.
117
FIXED PRICE CONTRACT
An agreement that sets the fee that will be paid for a defined scope of work regardless of the cost or effort to deliver it.
118
FLOAT
Also called slack. See also "total float" and "free float"
119
FOCUS GROUPS
An elicitation technique that brings together prequalified stakeholders and subject matter experts to learn about their expectations and attitudes about a proposed product, service, or result.
120
FPEPA contract
FIXED PRICE WITH ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT contract
a FIXED-PRICE CONTRACT, BUT WITH A SPECIAL PROVISION ALLOWING FOR PRE-DEFINED FINAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CONTRACT PRICE DUE TO CHANGED CONDITIONS, SUCH AS INFLATION CHANGES, OR COST INCREASES OR DERESASES) FOR SPECIFIC COMMODITIES.
121
FPIF contract
FIXED PRICE INCENTIVE FEE contract
A type of contact where the buyer pays the seller a set amount (per the contract), and the seller can earn an additional amount if the seller meets defined performance criteria.
122
FREE FLOAT
the amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any successor or violating a schedule constraint.
123
FS
FINISH-TO-START
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has finished.
124
FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION
An organizational structure in which staff is grouped by areas of specialization and the project manager has limited authority to assign work and apply resources.
125
FUNDING LIMIT RECONCILIATION
The process of comparing the planned expenditure of project funds against any limits on the commitment of funds for the project to identify any variances between the funding limits and the planned expenditures.
126
GANTT CHART
A bar chart of schedule information where activities are listed on the vertical axis, dates are shown on the horizontal axis, and the activity durations are show as horizontal bars placed according to start and finish dates.
127
IFB
INVITATION FOR BID
Generally, this term is equivalent to request for proposal. However, in some application areas it may be a narrower or more specific meaning.
A type of procurement document that is most commonly used when deliverables are commodities for which there are clear specifications and when the quantities are very large. The invitation is usually advertised, and any seller may submit a bid. Negotiation is typically not anticipated, these are sometimes used interchangeably with RFP's
128
IMPEDIMENT
An obstacle that prevents the team from achieving its objectives.
129
INCREMENT
A functional, tested, and accepted deliverable that is a subset of the overall project outcome.
130
INCREMENTAL LIFE CYCLE
An adaptive project life cycle in which the deliverable is produced through a series of iterations that successively add functionality within a predetermined time frame.
The deliverable contains the necessary and sufficient capability to be considered complete only after the final iteration.
131
INFLUENCE/IMPACT GRID
A classification model that groups stakeholders on the basis of their involvement in and impact on the project.
132
INFLUENCING
The act of presenting a good case to explain why an idea, decision, or problem should be handled a certain way, without resistance from other individuals.
133
INFORMATION RADIATOR
The generic term for visual displays placed in a visible location so everyone can quickly see the latest information.
In agile practice, also known as "BIG VISIBLE CHART"
134
INSURABLE RISK
A risk that has only the potential for loss and no potential for profit or gain.
An insurable risk is one for which insurance may be purchased to reduce or offset the possible loss. Tupes of insurable risks are direct property, indirect property, liability, and personnel related.
135
INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION
An exchange of information between two or more people that ensures common understanding for everyone participating in that exchange.
136
INTERNAL DEPENDENCY
A type of activity dependency that exists between project activities and is usually under the project's control.
137
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
Skills used to establish and maintain relationships with other people.
138
INTERVIEW
A formal or informal approach to elicit information from stakeholders by talking with them directly.
139
IRR
INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN
The interest rate that makes the net present value of all cash flow equal to zero.
140
ISSUE
A current condition or situation that may have an impact on the project objectives.
141
ISSUE LOG
A document where information about issues is recorded and monitored.
142
ITERATION
A timeboxed cycle of development on a product or deliverable in which all of the work that is needed to deliver value is performed.
143
ITERATIVE LIFE CYCLE
A project life cycle where the project scope is generally determined early in the project life cycle, but time and cost estimates are routinely modified as the project team's understanding of the product increases.
Iterations develop the product through a series of repeated cycles, while increments successively add to the functionality of the product.
144
JAD
JOINT APPLICATION DESIGN
Specialized workshops that include both SMEs and the development team together to discuss and improve on the software development process.
145
JOB SHADOWING
see "OBSERVATIONS"
146
KANBAN BOARD
A visualization tool that enables improvements to the flow of work by making bottlenecks and work quantities visible.
147
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Connecting individuals, in person or virtually, to share knowledge and collaborate together.
148
KPI
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR
A set of metrics used to evaluate a team's performance against the project vision and objectives.
149
LAG
The amount of time whereby a successor activity will be delayed with respect to a preceding activity.
150
LEAD
The amount of time whereby a successor activity can be advanced with respect to predecessor activity.
151
LEADERSHIP
The ability to step up and guide others to achieve results.
Leadership abilities are gained through experience, building relationships, and taking on initiatives.
152
LEAN
An agile method used primarily in manufacturing that focuses on achieving outcomes with little or no waste.
153
LESSONS-LEARNED REGISTER
A project document used to record knowledge gained during a project so that it can be used in the current project and entered into the lessons-learned repository.
154
MAJORITY
A group decision-making method in which a majority of group members agree on the course of action to take.
155
MAKE-OR-BUY ANALYSIS
The process of gathering and organizing data about product requirements and analyzing them against available alternatives including the purchase or internal manufacture of the project.
156
MAKE-OR-BUY DECISION
Decisions made regarding the external purchase or internal manufacture of a product.
157
MANAGEMENT RESERVES
An amount of the project budget or project schedule held outside of the performance measurement baseline (PMB) for management control purposes, that is reserved for unforeseen work that is within the scope of the project.
158
MANDATORY DEPENDENCY
A relationship that is contractually required or inherent in the nature of the work.
159
MATRIX ORGANIZATION
An organizational structure in which the project manager shares responsibility with the functional managers for assigning priorities and for directing the work of person assigned to the project.
160
MBI
MINIMUM BUSINESS INCREMENT
The smallest amount of value that can be added to a product or service that benefits the business.
161
MILESTONE
A significant point or even in a project, program, or portfolio.
162
MILESTONE CHARTS
A type of project schedule bar chart that only includes milestone or major deliverables as points in time.
163
MILESTONE LIST
A document that contains the significant points or events in a project.
164
MIND MAPPING
A technique used to consolidate ideas created through individual brainstorming sessions into a single map to reflect commonality and differences in understanding and to generate new ideas.
165
MITIGATE
A strategy for managing negative risks or threats that involves taking action to reduce the probability of occurrence or the impact of a risk.
166
MONTE CARLO SIMULATION
An analysis technique where a computer model is iterated many times, with the input values chosen at random for each iteration driven by the input date, including probability distributions and probabilistic branches. Outputs are generated to represent the range of possible outcomes for the project.
167
MOTIVATION
The inner drive that keeps people involved and wanting to complete work of high quality in a timely fashion.
168
MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS
This technique utilizes a decision matrix to provide a systematic analytical approach for establishing criteria, such as risk levels, uncertainty, and valuation, to evaluate and rank many ideas.
169
MVP
MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT
The smallest collection of features that can be included in a product for customers to consider it functional.
In Lean methodologies, it can be referred to as "bare bones" or "no-frills" functionality.
170
NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENTS
Are undertaken to arrive at a final equitable settlement of all outstanding issues, claims, and disputes by negotiation.
171
NEGOTIATION
An approach used by more than one individual to come to an agreement or resolution.
172
NOMINAL GROUP TECHNIQUE
A technique that enhances brainstorming with a voting process used to rank the most useful ideas for further brainstorming or for prioritization.
173
NPS
NET PROMOTER SCORE
Measures a customer's willingness to recommend a provider's products or service to another on a scale of -100 to 100.
174
NPV
NET PRESENT VALUE
The present value of all cash outflows minus the present value of all cash inflows.
175
OBSERVATIONS
The techniques used to gain knowledge of a specific job role, task, or function in order to understand and determine project requirements. This is also known as job shadowing.
176
OPA
ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS ASSETS
Plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases that are specific to and used by the performing organization.
177
OPPORTUNITY
A risk that would have a positive effect on one or more project objectives.
178
ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY
The study of how people, teams, and organizations behave to look for common themes for the purpose of maximizing efficiency and productivity, problem solving, and meeting the stakeholder requirements of a project.
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OUTSOURCING
Moving beyond the organization to secure services and expertise from an outside source on a contract or short-term basis.
180
OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIPS
A type of phase-to-phase relationship that contains phases that start prior to the previous phase ending.
181
PARAMETRIC ESTIMATING
An estimating technique in which an algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration based on historical data and project parameters.
182
PARETO CHART
A histogram that is used to rank causes of problems in a hierarchical format.
183
PDM
PRECEDENCE DIAGRAMMING METHOD
A technique used for constructing a schedule model in which activities are represented by nodes and are graphically linked by one or more logical relationships to show the sequence in which the activities are to be performed.
184
PHASE GATE
A point of review at the end of a phase in which a decision is made to continue to the next phase, to continue with modification, or to end a project or program.
185
PLANNING PACKAGE
A WBS component below the control account with known work content but without detailed schedule activities.
186
PLURALITY
Decisions made by the largest block in a group, even if a majority is not achieved.
187
PMIS
PROJECT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
An information system consisting of the tools and techniques used to gather, integrate, and disseminate the outputs of project management processes.
188
PMO
PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE
A management structure that standardizes the project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques.
PMOs are more common in larger organizations because of the number of projects that can be in process all at the same time.
189
POLITICAL AWARENESS
the ability to recognize the power structure internal to the organization, and the ability to navigate the relationships.
190
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
The centralized management of one or more portfolios to achieve strategic objectives.
191
PORTFOLIO
Projects, programs, subsidiary portfolios, and operations managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives.
192
POWER/INFLUENCE GRID
A classification model that groups stakeholders on the basis of their level of authority and involvement in the project.
193
POWER/INTEREST GRID
A classification model that groups stakeholders on the basis of their levels of authority and interest in the project.
194
PRECEDENCE RELATIONSHIP
A logical dependency used in the precedence diagramming methods.
195
PREDICTIVE LIFE CYCLE
A form of project life cycle in which the project scope, time, and cost are determined in the early phases of the life cycle.
196
PROBABILITY AND IMPACT MATRIX
A grid for mapping the probability of occurrence of each risk and its impact on project objectives if that risk occurs.
197
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
the scattering of values assigned to likelihood in a sample population. It can be visually depicted in the form of a probability density function (PDF).
198
PROCUREMENT
The acquisition of goods and services from an external organization, vendor, or supplier to enable the deliverables of the project.
199
PROCUREMENT AUDIT
The review of contracts and contracting processes for completeness, accuracy, and effectiveness.
200
PROCUREMENT DOCUMENTS
The documents utilized in bid and proposal activities, which include the buyer's invitation for bid, invitation for negotiations, request for information, request for quotation, request for proposal, and settler's responses.
201
PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how a project team will acquire goods and services from outside of the performing organization.
202
PROCUREMENT SOW
Describes the procurement item in sufficient detail to allow prospective sellers to determine if they are capable of providing the products, services, or results.
203
PRODUCT ANALYSIS
For projects that have a product as the deliverable, it is a tool to define scope that generally means asking questions about a product and forming answers to describe the use, characteristics, and other relevant aspects of what is going to be manufactured.
204
PRODUCT BACKLOG
A prioritized list of customer requirements and the first step of Scrum in which priority is based on the riskiness and business value of the user story.
205
PRODUCT BOX EXERCISE
A technique used to explain an overarching solution wherein stakeholders try to describe aspects of a solution in the same way a marketer might describe product features and benefits on a box.
206
PRODUCT OWNER
An individual or an organization who is responsible for gathering inputs about a product from the customer and translating the requirements into the product vision for the team and stakeholders.
207
PRODUCT ROADMAP
A high-level visual summary of the product or products of the project that includes goals, milestones, and potential deliverables.
208
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
The application of knowledge, skills, and principles to a program to achieve the program objectives and obtain benefits and control not available by managing program components individually.
209
PROGRAM
Related projects, subsidiary programs, and program activities that are managed in a coordinated manner to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually.
A project may or may not be part of a program, but a program will always have projects.
210
PROGRESSIVE ELABORATION
The iterative process of increasing the level of detail in a project management plan as greater amounts of information and more accurate estimates become available.
211
PROJECT ARTIFACT
Any document related to the management of a project.
212
PROJECT CHARTER
A document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
213
PROJECT GOVERNANCE
The framework, functions, and processes that guide project management activities to create a unique product, service, or result to meet organizational, strategic, and operational goals.
214
PROJECT LIFE CYCLE
A series of phases that a project passes through from it start to its completion.
215
PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN
The document that describes how the project will be executed, monitored and controlled, and closed.
216
PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
A computer application that helps plan, organize, and manage project resources and develop resource estimates for activities.
217
PROJECT MANAGER
The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives.
218
PROJECT PHASE
A collection of logically related project activities that culminates in the completion of one or more deliverables.
219
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
For a project, these are the agreed-upon conditions or capabilities of a product, service, or outcome that a project is designed to satisfy.
220
PROJECT SCHEDULE NETWORK DIAGRAM
A graphical representation of the logical relationships among the project schedule activities.
221
PROJECT SCHEDULE
An output of a schedule model that presents linked activities with planned dates, durations, milestones, and resources.
222
PROJECT SCOPE STATEMENT
The description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints.
223
PROJECT SCOPE
The features and functions that characterize a product, service, or result.
224
PROJECT TEAM
A set of individuals who support the project manager in performing the work of the project to achieve its objectives.
225
PROJECT
A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.
226
PROJECTIZED ORGANIZATION
A structure where a project manager and a core project team operate as a separate organizational unit within the parent organization.
227
PROTOTYPES
A method of obtaining early feedback on requirements by providing a working model of the expected product before actually building it.
228
PULL COMMUNICATIONS
Messages that require the interested people to access the information based on their own initiative.
229
PUSH COMMUNICATIONS
Message that are sent out to people who need to receive the information.
230
PV
PRESENT VALUE
The current value of a future sum of money or stream of cash flows given a specific rate of return.
231
PV (alternate abbreviation)
PLANNED VALUE
The authorized budget assigned to scheduled work.
232
QFD
QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT
Workshops that are commonly used in the manufacturing field to determine new product development requirements.
233
QUALIFIED VENDORS
The vendors who are approved to deliver the products, services, or results based on the procurement requirements identified for the project.
234
QUALIFIED VENDORS LIST
Contains details regarding vendors who meet the organization's requirements and to whom requests can be sent.
235
QUALITATIVE RISK ANALYSIS
A technique used to determine the probability of occurrence and the impact of identified risk.
236
QUALITY AUDIT
A structured, independent process to determine if project activities comply with organizational and project policies, processes, and procedures.
237
QUALITY GATE
A special type of gate located before a phase that is strongly dependent upon the outcome of a previous phase.
The quality gate process is a formal way of specifying and recording the transition between stages in the project life cycle.
238
QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how applicable policies, procedures, and guidelines will be implemented to achieve the quality objectives.
239
QUALITY METRIC
A description of a project or product attribute and how to measure it.
240
QUALITY
The degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.
241
QUANTITATIVE RISK ANALYSIS
Technique used to assess the risk exposure events to overall project objectives and determine the confidence levels of achieving the project objectives.
242
QUESTIONNAIRES
Written sets of questions designed to quickly accumulate information from a large number of respondents.
243
RACI CHART
RESPONSIBLE, ACCOUNTABLE, CONSULTED, AND INFORMED
A common type of Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) that uses responsible, accountable, consult, and inform statuses to define the involvement of stakeholders in project activities.
244
RAM
RESPONSIBILITY ASSIGNMENT MATRIX
A grid that shows the project resources assigned to each work package.
245
RBS
RISK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE
A hierarchical representation of potential sources of risk.
246
RECOGNITION
A more personalized, intangible, and experiential event that focuses on behavior rather than outcome.
247
REGULATIONS
Requirements imposed by a governmental body.
The requirements can establish product, process, or service characteristics, including applicable administrative provisions that have government-mandated compliance.
248
RELATIVE AUTHORITY
The project manager's authority relative to the functional manager's authority over the project and the project team.
249
REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTATION
A description of how individual requirements meet the business need for the project.
250
REQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT PLAN
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how requirements will be analyzed, documented, and managed.
251
REQUIREMENTS TRACEABILITY MATRIX
A grid that links product requirements from their origin to the deliverables that satisfy them.
252
RESOURCE CALENDAR
A calendar that identifies the working days and shifts upon which each specific resource is available.
253
RESOURCE LEVELLING
A resource optimization technique in which adjustments are made to the project schedule to optimize the allocation of resources and which may affect the critical path.
254
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN
A component of the project management plan that describes how project resources are acquired, allocated, monitored, and controlled.
255
RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS
the types and quantities of resources required for each activity in a work package.
256
REWARD
A tangible, consumable item that is given to a person based on a specific outcome or an achievement.
257
REWARD AND RECOGNITION PLAN
A formalized way to reinforce performance or behavior.
258
RFI
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
A type of procurement document whereby the buyer requests a potential seller to provide various pieces of information related to a product or service or seller capability.
259
RFP
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
A type of procurement document used to request proposals from prospective sellers of products or services.
In some application areas, it may have a narrower or more specific meaning.
260
RFQ
REQUEST FOR QUOTATION
A type of procurement document used to request price quotations from prospective sellers of common or standard products or services.
Sometimes used in place of request for proposal and, in some application areas, it may have a narrower or more specific meaning.
261
RISK APPETITE
The degree of uncertainty an organization or individual is willing to accept in anticipation of a reward.
262
RISK CATEGORIZATION
Organization by sources of risk (e.g., using the RBS), the area of the project affected (e.g. using the WBS), or other useful category (e.g., project phase) to determine the areas of the project most exposed to the effects of uncertainty.
263
RISK IMPACT
The likely effect on project objectives if a risk event occurs.
264
RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN
A component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how risk management activities will be structured and performed.
265
RISK PROBABILITY
The likelihood that a risk event will occur or prove true during the project.
266
RISK REGISTER
a repository in which outputs of risk management processes are recorded.
267
RISK THRESHOLD
The level of risk exposure above which risks are addressed and below which risks may be accepted.
268
RISK TOLERANCE
the maximum amount of risk, and the potential impact of that risk occurring, that a project manager or key stakeholder is willing to accept.
269
RISK WORKSHOP
a technique that uses a special meeting conducted for the purpose of identifying project risks. In addition to the project team members, this workshop might also include the project sponsor, SMEs, customer representatives, and other stakeholders, depending on the size of the project.
270
RISK
an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on one or more project objectives.
271
ROI
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
a financial metric of profitability that measures the gain or loss from an investment relative to the amount of money invested.
272
ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS
an analytical technique used to determine the basic underlying reason that causes a variance or a defect or a risk.
A root cause may underlie more than one variance or defect or risk.
273
SAFe
SCALED AGILE FRAMEWORK
A knowledge base of integrated patterns for enterprise-scale lean-agile development.
274
SALIENCE MODEL
A classification model that groups stakeholders on the basis of their level of authority, their immediate needs, and how appropriate their involvement is in terms of the project.
275
SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT PLAN
A component of the project or program management plan that establishes the criteria and the activities for developing, monitoring, and controlling the schedule.
276
SCOPE BASELINE
The approved version of a scope statement, WBS, and its associated WBS dictionary, that can be changed using formal change control procures and is used as a basis for comparison to actual results.
277
SCRUM MASTER
The coach of the development team and process owner in the Scrum framework. Removes obstacles, facilitates productive events, and defends the team from disruptions.
278
SCRUM TEAM
Dedicated, self-managing, cross-functional, fully empowered individuals who deliver the finished work required by the customer.
279
SCRUM
An agile framework for developing and sustaining complex products, with specific roles, events, and artifacts.
280
SEQUENTIAL RELATIONSHIPS
A type of phase-to-phase relationship that contains consecutive phases that only start when the previous phase is complete.
281
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
A type of leadership style used in agile and other types of projects which encourages the self-definition, self-discover, and self-awareness of team members by listening, coaching, and providing an environment which allows them to grow.
282
SF
START-TO-FINISH
a logical relationship in which a predecessor activity cannot finish until a successor activity has started.
283
SHARE
a strategy for managing positive risks or opportunities that involves allocating some or all of the ownership of the opportunity to a third party.
284
SIMULATION
An analytical technique that models the combined effect of uncertainties to evaluate their potential impact on objectives.
285
SLA
SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT
A contract between a service provider (either internal or external) and the end user that defines the level of service expected from the service provider.
286
SOS
SCRUM OF SCRUM
A technique to operate Scrum at scale for multiple teams working on the same product, coordinating discussions of progress on their interdependencies, and focusing on how to integrate the delivery of software, especially in areas of overlap.
287
SOURCE SELECTION CRITERIA
A set of attributes desired by the buyer which a seller is required to meet or exceed to be selected for a contract.
288
SOURCE-BASED RISK CLASSIFICATION
a method of analyzing risk in terms of its origins.
289
SPI
SCHEDULE PERFORMANCE INDEX
A measure of schedule efficiency expressed as the ratio of earned value to planned value.
290
SPI
SCHEDULE PERFORMANCE INDEX
A measure of schedule efficiency expressed as the ratio of earned value to planned value.
291
SPRINT BACKLOG
A list of work items identified by the Scrum team to be completed during the Scrum sprint.
292
SPRINT PLANNING
A collaborative event in Scrum in which the Scrum team plans the work for the current sprint.
293
SPRINT RETROSPECTIVE
This critical part of the Scrum process is attended by the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the Scrum team to analyze from a process perspective what is working well and what is not and to agree upon changes to implement.
294
SPRINT REVIEW
a review at the end of each iteration with the Product Owner and other customer stakeholders to review the progress of the product, get early feedback, and review acceptance from Product Owner of the stories delivered the iteration.
Also referred to as a Demo.
295
SPRINT
a timeboxed iteration in Scrum.
296
SS
START-TO-START
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has started.
297
STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS
A technique of systematically gathering and analyzing quantitative and qualitative information to determine whose interest should be taken into account throughout the project.
298
STAKEHOLDER CUBE
A three-dimensional classification model that builds on the previous two-dimensional grids to group stakeholders.
299
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ASSESSMENT MATRIX
A matrix that compares current and desired stakeholder engagement levels.
300
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN
A component of the project management that identifies the strategies and actions required to promote productive involvement of stakeholders in project or program decision making and execution.
301
STAKEHOLDER REGISTER
A project document including the identification, assessment, and classification of project stakeholders.
302
STAKEHOLDER
An individual, group, or organization that may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project, program, or portfolio.
303
STANDARD
A document established by an authority, custom, or general consent as a model for example.
304
STATISTICAL SAMPLING PROCESS
A process that involves dividing sampling data into two categories-attribute and variable- each of which is gathered according to sampling plans.
As corrective actions are taken in response to analysis of statistical sampling and other quality control activities, and as trend analysis in performed, defects and process variability should be reduced.
305
STATISTICAL SAMPLING
choosing part of a population of interest for inspection.
306
STORYBOARDING
The prototyping method that uses visuals or images to illustrate a process or represent a project outcome.
Storyboards are useful to illustrate how a product, service, or application will function or operate when it is complete.
307
SUPPORTIVE PMO
The type of PMO that provides a consultative role to projects by supplying templates, best practices, training, access to information, and lessons learned from other projects.
308
SV
SCHEDULE VARIANCE
A measure of schedule performance expressed as the difference between the earned value and the planned value.
309
SWOT ANALYSIS
An analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an organization, project, or option.
310
T&M CONTRACT
TIME AND MATERIAL CONTRACT
A type of contract that is a hybrid contractual arrangement containing aspects of both cost-reimbursable and fixed-price contracts.
311
T-SHAPED
refers to a person with one deep area of specialization and broad ability in the rest of the skills required by the team.
312
TACIT KNOWLEDGE
Personal knowledge that can be difficult to articulate and share such as beliefs, experience, and insights.
313
TASK BOARD
used to visualize the work and enable the team and stakeholders to track their progress as work is performed during an iteration.
Examples of task boards include Kanban boards, to-do lists, procedure checklists, and Scrum boards.
314
TEAM BUILDING
The process of continually supporting and working collaboratively with team members in order to enable a team to work together to solve problems, diffuse interpersonal issues, share information, and tackle project objectives as a unified force.
315
TEAM CHARTER
A document that records the team values, agreements, and operating guidelines as well as establishing clear expectations regarding acceptable behavior by project team members.
316
TEAM MANAGEMENT PLAN
A component of the resource management plan that describes when and how team members will be acquired and how long they will be needed.
317
TEAM RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
the processes necessary to organize, manage, and lead the people on the project team as well as the processes needed to procure and manage physical resources for a project.
318
TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES
the specific functions or actions taken to help the team to develop into a mature, productive team. They can be formal or informal, brief or extended, and facilitated by the project manager or a group facilitator.
319
TEAMING AGREEMENT
A legal contractual agreement between two or more parties to form a joint venture or any other arrangement as defined by the parties to meet the requirements of a business opportunity.
the parties can be internal or external to the organization executing the project.
320
TEAM CONTRACT
A type of contract that engages the vendor to deliver a set amount of service-measured in staff-hours or a similar unit-over a set period of time.
321
THREAT
A risk that would have a negative effect on one or more project objectives.
322
THREE-POINT ESTIMATING
A technique used to estimate cost or duration by applying an average or weighted average of optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely estimates when there is uncertainty with the individual activity estimates.
323
TIMEBOX
A fixed period of time; for example, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, or 1 month.
324
TOLERANCE
The quantified description of acceptable variation for a quality requirement.
325
TOTAL FLOAT
The amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed or extended from its early start date without delaying the project finish date or violating a schedule constraint.
326
TQM
TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT
An approach to improve business results through an emphasis on customer satisfaction, employee development, and processes rather than on functions.
327
TRAINING
An activity in which team members acquire new or enhanced skills, knowledge, or attitudes.
328
TRANSFER
A strategy for managing negative risks or threats that involves shifting the impact and ownership of the risk to a third party and paying a risk premium to the party taking on the liability of the risk.
329
TREND ANALYSIS
An analytical technique that uses mathematical models to forecast future outcomes based on historical results.
330
TRIGGER CONDITION
An event or situation that indicates that a risk is about to occur.
331
UNANIMITY
Agreement by everyone in the group on a single course of action.
332
UNIQUE IDENTIFICATION CODE
A specific configuration of a code of accounts that assigns a particular alphanumeric sequence of characters to each element of a WBS
333
USER STORY
A brief description of deliverable value for a specific user. It is a promise for a conversation to clarify details.
334
VALIDATE SCOPE
The process of formalizing acceptance of the completed project deliverables.
335
VALUE STREAM MAPPING
A lean enterprise technique used to document, analyze, and improve the flow of information or materials required to produce a product or service for a customer.
336
VALUE STREAM
An organizational construct that focuses on the flow of value to customers through the delivery of specific products or services.
337
VARIABLE SAMPLING DATA
Data from a sample that is measured on a continuous scale such as time, temperature, or weight.
338
VARIANCE
A quantifiable deviation, departure, or divergence away from a known baseline or expected value.
339
VARIANCE ANALYSIS
A technique for determining the cause and degree of difference between the baseline and the actual performance.
340
VERSION CONTROL
A system that records changes to a file, in a way that allows you to retrieve previous changes made to it.
341
VIRTUAL TEAM
A group of people with a shared goal who fulfill their roles with little or no time spent meeting fact-to-face.
342
WAIVER
The giving up of a contract right, even inadvertently.
343
WARRANTY
A promise, explicit or implied, that goods or services will meet a predetermined standard.
344
WBS DICTIONARY
A document that provides detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about each component in the work breakdown structure.
345
WBS
WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE
A hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables.
346
WORK PACKAGE
The work defined at the lowest level of the work breakdown structure for which cost, and duration are estimated and managed.
347
WORK PERFORMANCE DATA
The raw observations and measurements identified during activities being performed to carry out the project work.
They can be recorded in the PMIS and project documents.
348
WORK PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The performance data collected from controlling processes, analyzed in comparison with project management plan components, project documents, and other work performance information.
349
WORK PERFORMANCE REPORT
The physical or electronic representation of work performance information compiled in project documents intended to generate decisions, action or awareness.
350
WORK SHADOWING
An on-the-job technique that enables someone to learn about and perform a job while observing and working with another more experienced person, or mentor.
