PMP Terminology Flashcards
(156 cards)
1
Q
Bottom-up Estimating
A
A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower-level components of the work breakdown structure (WBS)
2
Q
Sponsor
A
A person or group who provides resources and support for the project, program, or portfolio, and is accountable for enabling success
3
Q
Secondary Risk
A
A risk that arises as a direct result of implementing a risk response
4
Q
Actual Cost
A
The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time period
5
Q
Project Scope Statement
A
The description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints
6
Q
Project Management
A
The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements
7
Q
Product Life Cycle
A
The series of phases that represent the evolution of a product, from concept through delivery, growth, maturity, and to retirement
8
Q
Critical Path Activity
A
Any activity on the critical path in a project schedule
9
Q
Work Package
A
The work defined at the lowest level of the work breakdown structure for which cost and duration can be estimated
10
Q
Change Control
A
A process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines associated with the project are identified, documented, approved, or rejected
11
Q
Late Finish Date
A
In the critical path method, the latest possible point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can finish based on the schedule network logic, the project completion date, and any schedule constraints
12
Q
Defect Repair
A
An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component
13
Q
Precedence Diagramming Method
A
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
14
Q
Change Control System
A
A set of procedures that describes how modifications to the project deliverables and documentation are managed and controlled
15
Q
Critical Path Method
A
A method used to estimate the minimum project duration and determine the amount of scheduling flexibility on the logical network paths within the schedule model
16
Q
Data Date
A
A point in time when the status of the project is recorded
17
Q
Project
A
A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result
18
Q
Finish-to-Finish
A
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has finished
19
Q
Change Request
A
A formal proposal to modify any document, deliverable, or baseline
20
Q
Optimistic Duration
A
An estimate of the shortest activity duration that takes into account all of the known variables that could affect performance
21
Q
Scope Baseline
A
The approved version of a scope statement, work breakdown structure (WBS) and its associated WBS dictionary, which can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison
22
Q
Early Start Date
A
In the critical path method, the earliest point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can start based on the schedule network logic, the data date, and any schedule constraints
23
Q
Free Float
A
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
24
Q
S-Curve Analysis
A
An earned value management technique used to indicate performance trends by using a graph that displays cumulative costs over a specific time period
25
Earned Value Management
A methodology that combines scope, schedule, and resource measurements to assess project performance and progress
26
Schedule Variance
A measure of schedule performance expressed as the difference between the earned value and planned value
27
To-Complete Performance Index
A measure of the cost performance that is required to be achieved with the remaining resources in order to meet a specified management goal, expressed as the ratio of the cost to finish the outstanding work to the remaining budget
28
Workaround
A response to a threat that has occurred, for which a prior response had not been planned or was not effective
29
Forward Pass
A critical path method technique for calculating the early start and early finish dates by working forward through the schedule model from the project start date or a given point in time
30
Risk Avoidance
A risk response strategy whereby the project team acts to eliminate the threat or protect the project from its impact
31
Resource Leveling
A technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource constraints with the goal of balancing demand for resources with the available supply
32
Trigger Condition
An event or situation that indicates that a risk is about to occur
33
Predecessor Activity
An activity that logically comes before a dependent activity in a schedule
34
Critical Path
The sequence of activities that represent the longest path through a project, which determines the shortest possible duration
35
Critical Chain Method
A schedule method that allows the project team to place buffers on any project schedule path to account for limited resources and project uncertainties
36
Schedule Compression
A technique used to shorten the schedule duration without reducing the project scope
37
Crashing
A technique used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources
38
What-If Scenario Analysis
The process of evaluating scenarios in order to predict their effect on project objectives
39
Stakeholder
An individual, group, or organization who may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project, program, or portfolio
40
Estimate to Complete
The expected cost to finish all the remaining project work
41
Finish-to-Start
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has finished
42
Planned Value
The authorized budget assigned to schedule work
43
Fast Tracking
A schedule compression technique in which activities or phases normally done in sequence are performed in parallel for at least a portion of their duration
44
Start-to-Start
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has started
45
Risk Acceptance
A risk response strategy whereby the project team decides to acknowledge the risk and not take any action unless the risk occurs
46
Parametric Estimating
An estimating technique in which an algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration based on historical data and project parameters
47
Schedule Performance Index
A measure of schedule efficiency expressed as the ratio of earned value to planned value
48
Pessimistic Duration
An estimate of the longest activity duration, which takes into account all the known variables that could affect performance
49
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
50
Opportunity
A risk that would have a positive effect on one or more project objectives
51
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
52
Scope Management Plan
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how the scope will be defined, developed, monitored, controlled, and verified
53
Risk Category
A group of potential causes of risk
54
Successor Activity
A dependent activity that logically comes after another activity in a schedule
55
Cost Management Plan
A component of a project or program management plan that describes how costs will be planned, structured, and controlled
56
Lessons Learned
The knowledge gained during a project which shows how project events were addressed or should be addressed in the future for the purpose of improving future performance
57
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 project
58
Project Management Office
A management structure that standardizes the project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques
59
Organizational Process Assets
Plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases specific to and used by the performing organization
60
Variance Analysis
A technique for determining the cause and degree of difference between the baseline and actual performance
61
Risk Management Plan
A component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how risk management activities will be structured and performed
62
Project Life Cycle
The series of phases that project passes through from its initiation to its closure
63
Sponsor
A person or group who provides resources and support for the project, program, or portfolio, and is accountable for enabling success
64
Enterprise Environmental Factors
Conditions, not under the immediate control of the team, that influence, constrain, or direct the project, program, or portfolio
65
Control Account
A management control point where scope, budget, actual cost, and schedule are integrated and compared to earned value for performance measurement
66
Scope Creep
The uncontrolled expansion to product or project scope without adjustments to time, cost, and resources
67
Schedule Baseline
The approved version of a schedule model that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to actual results
68
Risk Breakdown Structure
A hierarchical representation of risks that is organized according to risk categories
69
Most Likely Duration
An estimate of the most probable activity duration that takes into account all of the known variables that could affect performance
70
Code of Accounts
A numbering system used to uniquely identify each component of the work breakdown structure (WBS)
71
WBS Dictionary
A document that provides detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about each component in the work breakdown structure
72
Project Management Plan
The document that describes how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled
73
Organizational Project Management Maturity
The level of an organization's ability to deliver the desired strategic outcomes in a predictable, controllable, and reliable manner
74
Program
A group of related projects, subprograms, and program activities that are managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually
75
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
76
Human Resource Plan
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how the roles and responsibilities, reporting relationships, and staff management will be addressed and structured
77
Decision Tree Analysis
A diagramming and calculation technique for evaluating the implications of a chain of options in the presence of uncertainty
78
Lead
The amount of time whereby a successor activity can be advanced with respect to a predecessor activity
79
Early Finish Date
In the critical path method, the earliest point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can finish based on the schedule network logic, the data date, and any schedule constraints
80
Discrete Effort
An activity that can be planned and measured and that yields a specific output. (Note: Discrete effort is on of three earned value management [EVM] types of activities used to measure work performance)
81
Project Calendar
A calendar that identifies working days and shifts that are available for scheduled activities
82
Backward Pass
A critical path method technique for calculating the late start and late finish dates by working backward through the schedule model from the project end date
83
Project Phase
A collection of logically related project activities that culminates in the completion of one or more deliverables
84
Risk Transference
A risk response strategy whereby the project team shifts the impact of a threat to a third party, together with ownership of the response
85
Acceptance Criteria
A set of conditions that is required to be met before deliverables are accepted
86
Cost Performance Index
A measure of the cost efficiency of a budgeted resources expressed as the ratio of earned value to actual cost
87
Assumption
A factor in the planning process that is considered to be true, real, or certain, without proof or demonstration
88
Path Divergence
A relationship in which a schedule activity has more than one successor
89
Program Management Office
A management structure that standardizes the program-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques
90
Milestone
A significant point or event in a project, program, or portfolio
91
Schedule Model
A representation of the plan for executing the project's activities, including durations, dependencies, and other planning information, used to produce a project schedule along with other scheduling artifacts
92
Risk Register
A document in which the results of risk analysis and risk response planning are recordded
93
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
94
Project Scope
The work performed to deliver a product, service, or result with the specific features and functions
95
Analogous Estimating
A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project
96
Resource Calendar
A calendar that identifies the working days and shifts upon which each specific resource is available
97
Requirements Management Plan
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how requirements will be analyzed, documented, and managed
98
Project Schedule
An output of a schedule model that presents linked activities with planned dates, durations, milestones, and resources
99
Performing Organization
An enterprise whose personnel are the most directly involved in doing the work of the project or program
100
Staffing Management Plan
A component of the human resource plan that describes when and how team members will be acquired and how long they will be needed
101
Risk
An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on one or more project objectives
102
Preventive Action
An intentional activity that ensures the future performance of the project work is aligned with the project management plan
103
Budget at Completion
The sum of all budgets established for the work to be performed
104
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
105
Apportioned Effort
An activity where effort is allotted proportionately across certain discrete efforts and not divisible into discrete efforts. (Note: Apportioned effort is one of three earned value management [EVM] types of activities used to measure work performance)
106
Communication Management Plan
A component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how, when, and by whom information will be administered and disseminated
107
Procurement Management Plan
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how a team will acquire goods and services from outside of the performing organization
108
Probability and Impact Matrix
A grid for mapping the probability of each risk occurrence and its impact on project objectives if that risk occurs
109
Constraint
A limiting factor that affects the execution of a project, program, portfolio, or process
110
Requirements Traceability Matrix
A grid that links product requirements from their origin to the deliverables that satisfy them
111
Effort
The number of labor units required to complete a schedule activity or work breakdown structure component, often expressed in hours, days, or weeks
112
Schedule Model Analysis
A process used to investigate or analyze the output of the schedule model in order to optimize the schedule
113
Quality Management Plan
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how an organization's quality policies will be implemented
114
Variance at Completion
A projection of the amount of budget deficit or surplus, expressed as the difference between the budget at completion and the estimate at completion
115
Secondary Risk
A risk that arises as a direct result of implementing a risk response
116
Responsibility Assignment Matrix
A grid that shows the project resources assigned to each work package
117
Portfolio Balancing
The process of optimizing the mix of portfolio components to further the strategic objectives of the organization
118
Threat
A risk that would have a negative effect on one or more project objectives
119
Portfolio
Projects, programs, subportfolios, and operations managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives
120
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
121
Gantt Chart
A bar chart of schedule information where activities are listed on the vertical axis, dates are shown o the horizontal axis, and activity durations are shown as horizontal bars placed according to start and finish dates
122
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
123
Project Schedule Network Diagram
A graphical representation of the logical relationships among the project schedule activities
124
Corrective Action
An intentional activity that realigns the performance of the project work with the project management plan
125
Logical Relationship
A dependency between two activities or between an activity and a milestone
126
Risk Mitigation
A risk response strategy whereby the project team acts to reduce the probabilitlty of occurrence or impact of a risk
127
Project Manager
The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives
128
Phase Gate
A 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
129
Level of Effort
An activity that does not produce definitive end product and is measured by the passage of time. (Note: Level of effort is one of three earned value management [EVM] types of activities used to measure work performance)
130
Three-Point Estimate
A technique used to estimate cost or duration by applying an average optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely estimates when there is uncertainty with the individual activity estimates
131
Earned Value
The measure of work performed expressed in terms of the budget authorized for that work
132
Portfolio Management
The centralized management of one or more portfolios to achieve strategic objectives
133
Percent Complete
An estimate expressed as a percent of the amount of work that has been completed on an activity or a work breakdown structure component
134
Path Convergence
A relationship in which a schedule activity has more than one predecessor
135
Baseline
The approved version of work product that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison
136
Resource Breakdown Structure
A hierarchical representation of resources by category and type
137
Schedule Management Plan
A component of the project or program management plan that establishes the activities for developing, monitoring, and controlling the project or program
138
Program Management
The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a program to meet the program requirements and to obtain benefits and control not available by managing projects individually
139
Summary Activity
A group of related schedule activities aggregated and displayed as a single activity
140
Organizational Breakdown Structure
A hierarchical representation of the project organization, which illustrates the relationship between project activities and the organizational units that will perform those activities
141
Activity
A distinct, scheduled portion of work performed during the course of a project
142
Rolling Wave Planning
An iterative planning technique in which the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail, while the work in the future is planned at a higher level
143
Decomposition
A technique used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts
144
Requirement
A condition or capability that is required to be present in a product, service, or result to satisfy a contract or other formally imposed specification
145
Lag
The amount of time whereby a successor activity is required to be delayed with respect to a predecessor activity
146
Actual Cost
The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time period
147
Project Scope Statement
The description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints
148
Project Management
The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements
149
Product Life Cycle
The series of phases that represent the evolution of a product, from concept through delivery, growth, maturity, and to retirement
150
Critical Path Activity
Any activity on the critical path in a project schedule
151
Work Package
The work defined at the lowest level of the work breakdown structure for which cost and duration can be estimated
152
Change Control
A process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines associated with the project are identified, documented, approved, or rejected
153
Late Finish Date
In the critical path method, the latest possible point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can finish based on the schedule network logic, the project completion date, and any schedule constraints
154
Defect Repair
An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component
155
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
156
Change Control System
A set of procedures that describes how modifications to the project deliverables and documentation are managed and controlled
