definitions

Question 1

acceptance criteria

Answer 1

A set of conditions that are met before deliverables are accepted. See also deliverable and requirement.

Question 2

Activity

Answer 2

A distinct, scheduled portion of work performed during the course of a project.

Question 3

Activity Code

Answer 3

An alphanumeric value assigned to each activity that enables classifying, sorting, and filtering. See also activity identifier and activity label.

Question 4

Activity Identifier

Answer 4

A unique alphanumeric value assigned to an activity and used to differentiate that activity from other activities. See also activity code and activity label.

Question 5

Activity Label

Answer 5

A phrase that names and describes an activity. See also activity code and activity identifier.

Question 6

Actual Cost (AC)

Answer 6

The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time period. See also budget at completion (BAC), earned value (EV), estimate at completion (EAC), estimate to complete (ETC), and planned value (PV).

Question 7

Analogous Estimating

Answer 7

A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project. See also bottom-up estimating, parametric estimating, program evaluation and review technique (PERT), and three-point estimating.

Question 8

Apportioned Effort

Answer 8

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. See also discrete effort and level of effort.

Question 9

Assumption

Answer 9

A factor in the planning process considered to be true, real, or certain, without proof or demonstration.

Question 10

Backward Pass

Answer 10

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. See also forward pass.

Question 11

Baseline

Answer 11

The approved version of a work product that can be changed using formal change control procedures and is used as the basis for comparison to actual results. See also cost baseline, performance measurement baseline, schedule baseline, and scope baseline.

Question 12

Bottom-Up Estimating

Answer 12

A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower-level components of the work breakdown structure (WBS). See also analogous estimating, parametric estimating, program evaluation and review technique (PERT), and three-point estimating.

Question 13

Budget at Completion (BAC)

Answer 13

The sum of all budgets established for the work to be performed. See also actual cost (AC), earned value (EV), estimate at completion (EAC), estimate to complete (ETC), and planned value (PV).

Question 14

Change Control

Answer 14

A process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines associated with the project are identified, documented, approved, or rejected. See also change control board and change control system.

Question 15

Change Control Board

Answer 15

A formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes to the project, and for recording and communicating such decisions. See also change control and change control system.

Question 16

Change Control System

Answer 16

A set of procedures that describes how modifications to the project deliverables and documentation are managed and controlled. See also change control and change control board.

Question 17

Change Request

Answer 17

A formal proposal to modify a document, deliverable, or baseline.

Question 18

Code of Accounts

Answer 18

A numbering system used to uniquely identify each component of the work breakdown structure.

Question 19

Communications Management Plan

Answer 19

A component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how, when, and by whom information will be administered and disseminated. See also project management plan.

Question 20

Configuration Management System

Answer 20

A collection of procedures used to track project artifacts and monitor and control changes to these artifacts.

Question 21

Constraint

Answer 21

A factor that limits the options for managing a project, program, portfolio, or process.

Question 22

Contingency Plan

Answer 22

A document describing actions that the project team can take if predetermined trigger conditions occur.

Question 23

Contingency Reserve

Answer 23

Time or money allocated in the schedule or cost baseline for known risks with active response strategies. See also management reserve and project budget.

Question 24

Control Account

Answer 24

A management control point where scope, budget, actual cost, and schedule are integrated and compared to earned value for performance measurement.

Question 25

Corrective Action

Answer 25

An intentional activity that realigns the performance of the project work with the project management plan. See also preventive action.

Question 26

Cost Baseline

Answer 26

The approved version of work package cost estimates and contingency reserve that can be changed using formal change control procedures and is used as the basis for comparison to actual results. See also baseline, performance measurement baseline, schedule baseline, and scope baseline.

Question 27

Cost Management Plan

Answer 27

A component of a project or program management plan that describes how costs will be planned, structured, and controlled. See also project management plan.

Question 28

Cost Performance Index (CPI)

Answer 28

A measure of the cost efficiency of budgeted resources expressed as the ratio of earned value to actual cost. See also schedule performance index (SPI).

Question 29

Cost Variance (CV)

Answer 29

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. See also schedule variance (SV).

Question 30

Crashing

Answer 30

A schedule compression technique used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources. See also fast tracking and schedule compression.

Question 31

Critical Chain Method

Answer 31

A schedule method that allows the project team to place buffers on any project schedule path to account for limited resources and project uncertainties.

Question 32

Critical Path

Answer 32

The sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines the shortest possible duration. See also critical path activity and critical path method.

Question 33

Critical Path Activity

Answer 33

Any activity on the critical path in a project schedule. See also critical path and critical path method.

Question 34

Critical Path Method

Answer 34

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. See also critical path and critical path activity.

Question 35

Data Date

Answer 35

A point in time when the status of the project is recorded.

Question 36

Decision Tree Analysis

Answer 36

A diagramming and calculation technique for evaluating the implications of a chain of multiple options in the presence of uncertainty.

Question 37

Decomposition

Answer 37

A technique used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts.

Question 38

Defect Repair

Answer 38

An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component.

Question 39

Deliverable

Answer 39

Any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service that is produced to complete a process, phase, or project.

Question 40

Discrete Effort

Answer 40

An activity that can be planned and measured and that yields a specific output. [Note: Discrete effort is one of three earned value management (EVM) types of activities used to measure work performance.] See also apportioned effort and level of effort.

Question 41

Duration

Answer 41

The total number of work periods required to complete an activity or work breakdown structure component, expressed in hours, days, or weeks. See also effort.

Question 42

Early Finish Date

Answer 42

In the critical path method, the earliest possible 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. See also early start date, late start date, late finish date, and schedule network analysis.