Definitions

Question 1

Activity

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Activity Code

Answer 2

One or more numerical or text values that identify characteristics of the work or in some way categorize the schedule activity that allows filtering and ordering of activities within reports

Question 3

Activity Identifier

Answer 3

A short, unique numeric or text identification assigned to each schedule activity to differentiate that project activity from other activities. Typically unique within any one project schedule network diagram

Question 4

Actual Cost (AC)

Answer 4

The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time period

Question 5

Apportioned Effort

Answer 5

An activity where effort is allotted proportionately across certain discrete efforts and not divisible into discrete effort (1 of 3 Earned Value Management/EVM types of activities used to measure work performance)

Question 6

Analogous Estimating

Answer 6

A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity/project using the historical data from a similar activity/project

Question 7

Assumption

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Backward Pass

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Baseline

Answer 9

The approved version of a work product that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison

Question 10

Bottom-Up Estimating

Answer 10

A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of lower-level components of the work breakdown structure (WBS)

Question 11

Budget at Completion (BAC)

Answer 11

The sum of all budgets established for the work to be perfomed

Question 12

Change Control

Answer 12

A process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines associated with the project are identified, documented, approved, or rejected

Question 13

Change Control Board

Answer 13

A formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes to the project, and for recording and communicating such decisions

Question 14

Change Control System

Answer 14

A set of procedures that describes how modifications to the project deliverables and documentation are managed and controlled

Question 15

Change Request

Answer 15

A formal proposal to modify and document, deliverable, or baseline

Question 16

Code of Accounts

Answer 16

A numbering system used to uniquely identify each component of the work breakdown structure (WBS)

Question 17

Communications Management Plan

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Configuration Management System

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Constraint

Answer 19

A limiting factor that affects the execution of a project, program, portfolio, or process

Question 20

Contingency Plan

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Contingency Reserve

Answer 21

Budget within the cost baseline or performance measurement baseline that is allocated for identified risks that are accepted and for which contingent or mitigating responses are developed

Question 22

Control Account

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Corrective Action

Answer 23

An intentional activity that realigns the performance of the project work with the project management plan

Question 24

Cost Baseline

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Cost Management Plan

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Cost Performance Index (CPI)

Answer 26

A measure of the cost efficiency of budgeted resources expressed as the ratio of earned value (EV) to actual cost (AC)

Question 27

Cost Variance (CV)

Answer 27

The amount of budget deficit or surplus at a given point in time, express as the difference between the earned value (EV) and actual cost (AC)

Question 28

Crashing

Answer 28

A technique used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources

Question 29

Critical Chain Method

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Critical Path

Answer 30

The sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines the shortest possible duration

Question 31

Critical Path Activity

Answer 31

Any activity on the critical path in a project schedule

Question 32

Critical Path Method (CPM)

Answer 32

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

Question 33

Data Date

Answer 33

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

Question 34

Decision Tree Analysis

Answer 34

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

Question 35

Decomposition

Answer 35

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

Question 36

Defect Repair

Answer 36

An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component

Question 37

Deliverable

Answer 37

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

Question 38

Discrete Effort

Answer 38

An activity that can be planned and measured that yields a specific output (1 of 3 Earned Value Management/EVM types of activities to measure work performance)

Question 39

Duration (DU or DUR)

Answer 39

The total number of work periods required to complete a schedule activity or work breakdown structure (WBS) expressed in hours, days, or weeks

Question 40

Early Finish Date (EF)

Answer 40

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

Question 41

Early Start Date (ES)

Answer 41

In the critical path method, the earliest possible 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

Question 42

Earned Value (EV)

Answer 42

The measure of work performed expressed in terms of the budget authorized for that work

Question 43

Earned Value Management (EVM)

Answer 43

A methodology that combines scope, schedule, and resource measurements to assess project performance and progress