11 - Project Schedule Management Terminology Flashcards
Activity
A unique, scheduled segment of project work that typically has associated cost, duration, and resources; sometimes called a task.
Activity Attributes
The characteristics of an activity that include activity codes, predecessor activities, successor activities, logical relationships, leads and lags, resource requirements, imposed dates, constraints, and assumptions.
Activity Duration
The span of time, expressed as calendar units, between a scheduled activity’s start and finish.
Activity Duration Estimate
The projected duration of an activity.
Activity Identifier
A unique number or code used to identify an activity that is used to eliminate confusion with a similarly named activity.
Activity List
A listing of scheduled activities, with such details of a description, identifier, and scope of work, used to ensure that team members comprehend the work that will be performed during the project.
Activity Network Diagrams
A graphical representation of the interconnectivity of project activities.
Activity Resource Requirements
The determination of required resources for each work package and work period that are derived from the determination of required resources for each activity within the work package.
Actual Duration
The amount of elapsed time between the start and finish of an activity.
Adjusting Leads and Lags
A technique used to align project activities with their scheduled target dates.
Analogous Estimating
An estimation technique that relies on data (schedule, cost, resources needed) from a similar activity or project.
Applying Leads and Lags
A technique used to adjust time between activities by applying a lag (lengthening the schedule) or applying a lead (shortening the schedule).
Activity-on-arrow (AOA)
A network diagramming method in which activities are represented by arrows and connected at nodes to show their sequences; also known as ADM (arrow diagramming method).
Activity-on-node (AON)
A network diagramming method in which activities are represented by boxes or circles and connected via arrows; also known as PDM (precedence diagramming method).
Backward Pass
A network diagramming method that calculates the late start (LS) and late finish (LF) dates of each activity by working backward through the schedule from the project completion date.
Bar Chart
A graphical representation of schedule-related information; typically, schedule activities or work breakdown structure components are displayed vertically on the far left of the chart, dates are displayed horizontally across the top of the chart, and activity durations are displayed as date-placed horizontal bars; also see Gantt chart.
BIPERT
(Bilogic Extension of the Network Diagram)
A model for parallel programs that depicts ingoing (inclusive) and outgoing (exclusive) links.
Bottom-Up Estimating
An estimating technique in which individual estimates are rolled up to create a summary estimate for the project.
Buffer
Reserves used to alleviate risks that could negatively impact the budget or schedule.
Burst
The separation (or divergence) of activities on a network diagram from a central node.
Calendar Unit
The smallest time unit used in project schedules; it could be minutes, hours, shifts, days, weeks, months, quarters.
Control Schedule
The process of observing project status in order to revise progress and administer schedule baseline revisions.
Crashing
A compression technique to shorten the duration of the schedule, typically by adding additional resources to critical path activities.
Critical Chain Method
A technique applied to the schedule so the project team can ascertain the amount of float needed to offset uncertainties or limited resources that appertain to a schedule path.
Critical Path
The progression of activities that comprise the longest path through the project; used to ascertain the project duration.
Critical Path Activity
An activity on the critical path of a project schedule.
Critical Path Method
A technique used to assess minimum project duration and ascertain any schedule adaptability that appertains to logical network paths.
Data Date
The point in time when the project data is recorded or monitored.
Define Activities
The process of determining specific activities that must be executed in order to create project deliverables.
Dependency
The relationship between two activities or between an activity and a milestone, also known as a logical relationship.
Dependency Determination
The assignment of logical relationships between activities; logical relationships are designated as mandatory or discretionary and internal or external.
Develop Schedule
The process of evaluating the progression and duration of activities, the demands on resources, and the limitations imposed on the schedule to create the model for the project schedule.
Discrete Effort
Work that can be directly tied to the completion of WBS components or deliverables; the work must be measurable.
Discretionary Dependency
An activity that the project manager (or other decision-maker) arbitrarily chooses to designate as a dependency; for example, making the reservation of a hotel room dependent on the purchase of a plane ticket; also known as soft logic.
Dummy Activities
A zero duration activity used in the arrow diagramming method (ADM) to show a logical relationship; represented graphically with an arrow having a dashed line.
Duration (DU or DUR)
The time, exclusive of holidays or other days in which business is not conducted and typically measured in workdays or workweeks, required to complete a specific activity or WBS component.
Early Finish Date (EF)
The earliest possible date for an activity to be completed based upon the schedule network logic.
Early Start Date (ES)
The earliest possible date for an activity to be started based upon the schedule network logic.
Effort
The amount of labor (typically measured in hours, days, or weeks) required to complete an activity or WBS component.
Estimate
An approximation of an outcome, based on experience or calculation, that is typically applied to cost, effort, or duration and usually contains a modifier (e.g. preliminary) and an accuracy indication (e.g. ±%).
Estimate Activity Durations
The process of approximating the number of work periods required to complete activities in consideration of available resources.
Estimate Activity Resources
The process of approximating the amount of people and equipment needed to perform each activity.
External Dependency
A relationship between project activities and non-project activities.
Fast Tracking
A schedule compression technique that results in adjustments to the schedule and is used to perform sequenced activities in parallel as applicable.
Finish Date
A point in time related to the completion of a schedule activity and typically qualified as actual, planned, estimated, scheduled, early, late, baseline, target, or current.
Finish-to-finish (FF)
A dependency that requires the completion of a predecessor activity prior to the completion of the successor activity.
Finish-to-start (FS)
A dependency that requires the completion of a predecessor activity prior to the start of the successor activity.
Float
The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying successor activities or the project completion date.
Forward Pass
A network diagramming method that calculates the early start (ES) and early finish (EF) dates of each activity by working forward through the schedule from the project inception date or a specific point in time.