Definitions "S"

Question 1

Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)

Answer 1

An agile project management approach that has specific activities, workflows, meetings, and approval mechanisms. It is an approach, like scrum, or eXtreme programming.

Question 2

Scales of Probability and Impact

Answer 2

Each risk is assessed according to its likelihood and its impact. There are two approaches to ranking risks: Cardinal scales. identify the probability and impact by a numerical value, ranging from 0.01 as very low to 1.0 as certain. Ordinal scales identify and rank the risks from very high to very unlikely.

Question 3

Scatter Chart

Answer 3

A diagram that tracks the relationship between two variables within a project. The closer the two variables track together on the scatter diagram, the more likely the variables are related and can influence each other.

Question 4

Schedule Management Plan

Answer 4

A subsidiary plan that details how the schedule will be created and how changes to the schedule may be allowed. This plan also defines how the actual changes themselves will be managed and how the changes may affect other areas of the project.

Question 5

Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

Answer 5

Reveals the efficiency of work. The closer the quotient is to 1, the better: SPI = earned value / planned value

Question 6

Schedule Variance

Answer 6

Describes the difference between the earned value of the project work and the planned value of the project work. Schedule variances often prompt the project manager to create a schedule variance report explaining the variance in the project. The formula for schedule variance is earned value - planned value.

Question 7

Scheduler

Answer 7

A special project management role. This person works with the project team, the project manager, and management to create, monitor, and control the project schedule. The team will met regularly with the scheduler to provide updates on project work and progress.

Question 8

Scope Creep

Answer 8

A process that happens when a project manager allows small changes to enter into the project scope without formal approval. Eventually the scope of the project swells to include more deliverables than the project budget or team is able to deal with.

Question 9

Scope Management Plan

Answer 9

A plan that details how the project scope will be created, how the WBS will be defined, how the scope will be protected from change, where changes the scope may be permitted, and how the management of approved changes will be handled.

Question 10

Scope Statement

Answer 10

A document that describes the work, and only the required work, to meet the project objectives. The scope statement establishes a common vision among the project stakeholders to establish the point and purpose of the project work. It is used as a baseline against which all future project decision are made to determine if proposed changes or work results are aligned with expectations.

Question 11

Scope Verification

Answer 11

The process of the project customer accepting the project deliverables. Scope verification happens at the end of each project phase and at the end of the project. Scope verification is the process of ensuring the deliverables the project creates are in alignment with the project scope.

Question 12

Scrum

Answer 12

A Type of agile project management. Scrum uses a prioritized product backlog of requirements to determine which requirements will be created during the next sprint of the project work. Scrum has special rules, ceremonies, and resources that traditional, predictive project management does not use.

Question 13

Scrum Master

Answer 13

An agile project role that gets the team the information and supplies then need in the project, confirms everyone in the project is following the agile rules, protects the team from interruptions, and works to remove obstacles or blockers from the teams progress.

Question 14

Secondary Risks

Answer 14

Risks that stem from risk responses.

Question 15

Semi-flexible Constraints

Answer 15

Constraints that have a date value associated with them but require that the task begin or end by the specified date. Use these constraints sparingly.

Question 16

Sender

Answer 16

As part of the communications model, the sender is the person or group delivering the message to the receiver.

Question 17

Sharing

Answer 17

A positive risk response that allows the project team to partner or team with another entity to realize an opportunity that the team may not have been able to realize on their own.

Question 18

Short Message Service (SMS)

Answer 18

Text messages shared over mobile phones, tablets, or other telephone devices. These messages aren’t encrypted.

Question 19

Should-Cost Estimates

Answer 19

Estimates created by the performing organization to predict what the cost of the procured product should be. If there is a significant difference between what the organization has predicted and what the sellers have proposed, either the statement of work was inadequate or the sellers have misunderstood the requirements. Should-cost estimates are also known as independent estimates.

Question 20

Simulation

Answer 20

An exercise that allows the project team to play “what-if” games without affecting any areas of production.

Question 21

Single Source

Answer 21

A specific seller that the performing organization prefers to contract with.

Question 22

Smoke Testing

Answer 22

Preliminary testing to confirm that the major components and functions of a software solution are working. Smoke testing is done after a software build and before the software is released into production.

Question 23

Smoothing

Answer 23

A conflict resolution method that smooths out the conflict by minimizing the perceived size of the problem. It is a temporary solution, but it can calm team relations and temper boisterous discussions. Smoothing may be acceptable when time is of the essence or any of the proposed solutions would work.

Question 24

Soft Logic

Answer 24

The preferred order of activities, aka discretionary dependency. Project managers should use these relationships at their discretion and document the reasoning behind making soft logic decisions. Discretionary dependencies allow activities to happen in a preferred order because of best practices, conditions unique to the project work, or external events.

Question 25

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Answer 25

A waterfall project management approach that defines the stages the software development project will follow. The stages are planning, analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance. This is a predictive project management approach.

Question 26

Sprint

Answer 26

A component of agile project management. Sprints are executing phases in the agile project management approach and can last from 2-4 weeks in duration.

Question 27

Sprint Review

Answer 27

A demonstration of what the development team has created in the iteration for the project customers. Only completed items of the sprint can be demonstrated. The meeting allows the development team to hear feedback from the project customers.

Question 28

Staffing Management Plan

Answer 28

A subsidiary project plan that determines how project team members will be brought on to and released from the project. This plan is useful if the project does not require the project team members to be on the project for the duration of the project schedule.

Question 29

Stakeholder Management Strategy

Answer 29

The project will likely have negative, neutral, and positive stakeholders. The stakeholder management strategy defines how the project manager will bolster support for the project, fend off the negative stakeholders, alleviate fears and concerns and promote the support for the project. The project manager will use stakeholder management strategy along with the projects communications management plan.

Question 30

Stakeholders

Answer 30

The individuals, groups, and communities that have a vested interest in the outcome of a project.

Question 31

Standard Costs

Answer 31

The budget department may have preassigned standard costs for labor to do certain tasks like programming lines of code, installing hardware, or adding new servers. This reassignment of values helps the project manager estimate labor costs of a project easily and without having to justify each labor expense as a line item.

Question 32

STAR Method

Answer 32

One of the best interview methods, especially when dealing with potential integrators. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result.

Question 33

Start No Earlier Than (SNET) constraint

Answer 33

This semi flexible constraint requires that a task begin no earlier than a specific date.

Question 34

Start No Later Than (SNLT) constraint

Answer 34

This semi flexible constraint requires that a task begin by a specific date at the latest.

Question 35

Start-to-Finish (SF) Tasks

Answer 35

These rare tasks require that the predecessor doesn’t begin until the successor finishes. This relationship could be used with accounting incidents.

Question 36

Start-to-Start (SS) Tasks

Answer 36

These tasks are usually closely related in nature and should be started, but not necessarily completed, at the same time.

Question 37

Statement of Work (SOW)

Answer 37

A document that fully describes the work to be completed, the product to be supplied, or both. The SOW becomes part of the contract between the buyer and the seller. The SOW is typically created as part of the procurement planning process and is used by the seller to determine whether it can meet the projects requirements.

Question 38

Statistical Sampling

Answer 38

A process of choosing a percentage of results for inspection. Statistical sampling can reduce the costs of quality control.

Question 39

Status Reports

Answer 39

Reports that provide current information the project cost, budget, scope, and other relevant information.

Question 40

Status Review Meetings

Answer 40

Regularly scheduled meetings to record the status of the project work. These commonly employed meetings provide a formal avenue for the project manager to query the team on the status of its work, to record delays and slippage, and to forecast what work is about to begin.

Question 41

Stroming

Answer 41

A stage of team development marked by a struggle for project team control and momentum of who’s going to lead the project team. It is during this phase people figure out the hierarchy of the team and the informal roles of team members.

Question 42

Stress Testing

Answer 42

A software development test to see how much stress the solution can manage, often beyond the normal performance expectations the solution will experience in production.

Question 43

Subteams

Answer 43

Project teams in a geographically divers project. Each team on the project in each site is a sub-team. On a larger project, sub-teams can be created for different disciplines used within the larger project.

Question 44

SWOT Analysis

Answer 44

An approach that examines the project based on its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to test where the project could fail and where the project could improve.

Question 45

Synchronous Communication

Answer 45

Communication that happens in real-time, such as a phone call.

Question 46

System or Process Flowcharts

Answer 46

Show the relation between components and how the overall process works. They are useful for identifying risks between system components.