General Vocab Flashcards
1
Q
Four Reasons Projects are Initiated
A
1) Meet Regulatory, Legal, or Social Requirements
2) Satisfy Stakeholder Requests or Needs
3) Create, Improve, or Fix Products, Processes, or Services
4) Implement or Change Business or Technological Strategies
2
Q
Project
A
A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.
3
Q
Program
A
A program is a group of related projects, subsidiary programs, and program activities that are managed in a coordinated manner to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually.
4
Q
Portfolio
A
A portfolio is a collection of projects, programs, subsidiary portfolios, and operations managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives.
5
Q
Process Group
A
There are five Process Groups
1) Initiating Process Group
2) Planning Process Group
3) Executing Process Group
4) Monitoring and Controlling Process Group
5) Closing Process Group
6
Q
Project Life Cycle
A
The series of phases that a project passes through from its start to completion.
7
Q
Development Life Cycle
A
Create and evolve a product using a predictive, iterative, incremental, adaptive, or a hybrid model.
8
Q
Predictive Life Cycle
A
Or Plan Driven Life Cycle. A form of project life cycle in which the project, scope, time, and cost are determined in the early phases of the life cycle.
9
Q
Iterative Life Cycle
A
A project life cycle where the project scope is generally determined early in the project life cycle, but time and cost estimates are routinely modified as the project team’s understanding of the product increases. Iterations develop the product through a series of repeated cycles, while increments successively add to the functionality of the product.
10
Q
Incremental Life Cycle
A
An adaptive project life cycle in which the deliverable is produced through a series of iterations that successively add functionality within a predetermined time frame. The deliverable contains the necessary and sufficient capability to be considered complete only after the final iteration.
11
Q
Adaptive Life Cycle
A
Detailed scope is defined and approved before the start of an iteration. Also known as Agile or Change Driven Life Cycles.
12
Q
Hybrid Life Cycle
A
A combination of predictive and adaptive approaches.
13
Q
Initiating Process Group
A
Define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by getting the authorization to start.
14
Q
Planning Process Group
A
Processes required to establish the scope of the project, refine the objectives, and define the course of action to attain the objectives.
15
Q
Progressive Elaboration
A
The iterative process of increasing the level of detail in a project management plan as more information and more accurate estimates are available.
16
Q
Knowledge Areas
A
A Collection of processes with their own inputs, outputs, and tools and techniques that must be completed for project success. There are 10 Knowledge Areas:
1) Project Integration Management
2) Project Scope Management
3) Project Schedule Management
4) Project Cost Management
5) Project Quality Management
6) Project Resource Management
7) Project Communications Management
8) Project Risk Management
9) Project Procurement Management
10) Project Stakeholder Management
17
Q
Business Case
A
A document containing the reasons for the project, the objectives, and possibly a decision on whether the project is a go or no go. The business case is used to measure the project success as well as throughout the duration of the project.
18
Q
Benefits Management Plan
A
A document describing the benefits of the project and how to measure them. Included may be who benefits, what the target benefits are, and the time frame to see benefits. In addition, the document looks at how the benefits align with strategic goals and ways to measure the effectiveness. This document may include project assumptions and risks.
19
Q
Project Benefit
A
A product, service, or result that provides value to the sponsoring organization and its beneficiaries.
20
Q
Project Charter
A
A document that formally authorizes the project and the use of resources. The charter contains high-level information. It also assigns the project manager.
21
Q
Project Management Plan
A
A document detailing how the project will be managed, executed, monitored, and controlled.
22
Q
Work Performance Data
A
Raw data that is received or generated during the performance of the project. Actual costs, start and end dates, and percentage complete are examples.
23
Q
Work Performance Information
A
Raw data is analyzed and converted into information which can then be reported on.
24
Q
Work Performance Reports
A
Raw data that has been converted into information then reported on by physical or electronic documentation.
25
Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs)
Forces that impact a project that you have no control over. These can be internal or external.
26
Organizational Process Assets (OPAs)
Plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases that are specific to and used by the performing organization.
27
System
Collection of various parts working together to accomplish an overall goal that's not possible by working alone. Systems are dynamic, they can be optimized, systems are nonlinear in responsiveness meaning a change in input does not produce a predictable output.
28
Governance
Rules, policies, procedures, and processes to follow, and the norms, relationships, and systems of each company. Governance is used to set goals and track whether they have been met as well as to monitor risk and ensure performance is optimized.
29
Management Elements
Rules or policies that managers put into action. This can cover how work gets divided up by skills, disciplinary actions, assignments, and supervision.
30
Supportive PMO
PMO acts as a consultant and has little control.
31
Controlling PMO
requires compliance.PMO has moderate control.
32
Directive PMO
PMO takes charge directly, has high control.
33
Functional Manager
Responsible for managing a business unit
34
Operations Manager
Ensures efficiency of day-to-day activities
35
PMI Talent Triangle
Technical Project Management, Leadership, and Strategic and Business Management
36
Traditional Project Management
Project Manager creates the plan for the team to execute.
37
Agile or Adaptive Processes
Team members are responsible for project planning and delivery.
38
Assumption Log
Captures the high-level assumptions and constraints throughout the life of the project.
39
Explicit Knowledge
Knowledge that can be expressed through words, pictures, or numbers.
40
Tacit Knowledge
Personal knowledge that is more difficult to express like beliefs, experience, or insights.
41
Perform Integrated Change Control
The process of reviewing change requests, approving and managing changes to deliverables, changing project documents and the project management plan, and communicating these decisions.
42
Validate Scope
Process of ensuring the project's deliverables meet the requirements and are accepted.
43
Predictive Approaches
Methods have a schedule from start to finish.
44
Adaptive Approaches
Methods have a more flexible schedule that can change.
45
Rolling Wave Planning
Type of progressive elaboration where the work in the near term is planned in detail; future work is planned at a higher level or left as a placeholder.
46
Finish to Start
A logical relationship where a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor has finished. For example, installing the operating system on a PC (successor) cannot start until the PC hardware is assembled (predecessor).
47
Finish to Finish
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has finished. For example, writing a document (predecessor) is required to finish before editing the document (successor) can finish.
48
Start to Start
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has started. For example, level concrete (successor) cannot begin until pour foundation (predecessor) begins.
49
Start to Finish
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has started. For example, a new accounts payable system (successor) has to start before the old accounts payable system can be shut down (predecessor).
50
Precedence Diagramming Method(PDM)
Used to create a network diagram with activities shown as nodes or boxes and the links between the nodes as arrows.
51
Lag
The amount of time a successor activity must wait until its predecessor is done.
52
Lead
An activity is moved to start before its predecessor finishes.
53
Analogous Estimating
Top-Down estimating based on other similar projects in the organization. Quick and easy estimate made by management or subject matter experts.
54
Parametric Estimating
An estimating technique that uses an algorithm to calculate cost or duration based on historical data and project parameters. Best used for activities that are linear.
55
Bottom-up Estimating
Most accurate estimate. Estimate is applied to each activity starting from the bottom and working up to the top. The estimates are then aggregated for a total duration.
56
Three-Point Estimating
Program evaluation and review technique (PERT) use the Pessimistic, Realistic, and Optimistic case scenarios.
57
PERT
Program Evaluation and Review Technique
58
Critical Path Method
Calculation of the longest path in the diagram, representing the shortest amount of time the project can be done.
59
Scheduled Network Analysis
Technique used to identify early and late start dates, as well as early and late finish dates for each activity.
60
Float
Flexibility in a schedule.
61
Crashing
Adding resources to shorten the schedule duration.
62
Fast Tracking
Moving activities to start earlier than planned in parallel with other activities.
63
Forward Pass
Moves from start to finish. Early start + Duration - 1
64
Backward Pass
Finish to start moving backward Last Date - Duration + 1
65
Reserve Analysis
Data analysis tool used to determine the contingency and management reserves needed to cover unexpected work.
66
Cost Aggregation
Adding up activity costs to reach a total cost of work packages.
67
Funding Limit Reconciliation
Examining funding restrictions for a period of time.
68
User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
The last phase of the software testing process. During UAT, actual software users test the software to make sure it can handle required tasks in real-world scenarios, according to specifications.
69
Manage Quality
Ensuring the processes are being followed.
70
Control Quality
Ensuring the product meets quality specifications.
71
Cost of Quality (COQ)
This can include (1) the cost of not implementing quality processes. for
example, rejects, rework, cost of extra resources to rebuild or rework the product, and returns, or (2)
the cost of building in quality processes from the beginning, leading to fewer returns, rejects
or rework.
72
Flowcharts
Flowcharts, also known as process maps, are used to show the flow of a process, from start to finish.
Creating them helps to identify gaps in a process or steps that may create quality problems.
73
Logical Data Model
Logical data model is a visual representation of an organization’s data, described in business language.
74
Mind Mapping
Mind Mapping consolidates ideas created through individual brainstorming sessions into a single map to reflect commonality and differences in understanding and to generate new ideas.
75
Affinity Diagrams
Affinity diagrams graphically show the details of an idea or potential causes of defects—commonly
used in mind mapping.
76
Cause and Effect Diagrams
Cause-and-effect diagrams are also known as fishbone or Ishikawa diagrams or why-why diagrams. and may be written any of these three ways on the exam. This diagram is used to get to the root cause of a problem,
with the main problem being placed at the head of the fish. The question “why?” is asked until the
root cause is found. Each fishbone may be a “cause” of the problem.
77
Histograms
Histograms are bar charts that provide a visual representation of collected data. For example, a
histogram may show multiple columns with the number of defects per month for a process.
78
Matrix Diagrams
Matrix diagrams seek to show the strength of relationships among factors, causes, and objectives
that exist between the rows and columns that form the matrix.
79
Scatter Diagrams
Scatter diagrams are graphical and show the relationship between two variables.
80
Control Charts
Control charts are used to determine whether a process is in control. There are upper and lower customer specification limits. The customer states that if the product falls within these specifications, it’s acceptable.
o You’ll also see that there is an upper (UCL) and lower (LCL) control limit. You always want to make sure you’re in control of the process and your specifications fall within the customer’s specifications; typically three standard deviations from the mean.
o Each of the data points is plotted and checked to see if it’s in specification. If not, the process needs to be investigated and corrected.
o There’s also a rule of thumb that if there are seven data points above or below the mean (called the rule of seven), then the process needs to be checked to see if it’s going awry, even though the data points are in specification. A normal distribution of data falls
above and below the mean and not typically all above or below, so once you see seven in a
row above or below the mean, the process needs to be checked.
o Tip: This is a favorite question on the exam so be aware of the rule of seven.
81
Checksheets
Checksheets or tally sheets may be useful in gathering data. Checksheets are used to organize
facts in a manner that will facilitate the effective collection of useful data about a potential quality
problem. For example, you may tally every time a mistake happens in a process or you’ve identified
a missing ingredient.
82
Emotional Intelligence
Awareness of how you express emotions and handle interpersonal relationships.
83
Bruce Tuckman 5 stages of Development
1. Forming is when the team is just coming together as a team.
2. Storming is when there are disagreements or arguments as teams learn to work together.
3. Norming is when the team starts working better together and forms good relationships.
4. Performing is when the team becomes more efficient like a well-oiled machine.
5. Adjourning is when the project is completed and the team is disbanded.
84
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Abraham Maslow’s theory is that people aren’t able to work at their full potential unless their basic needs
are met. If their basic needs aren’t met, like food, water, warmth, and rest, then they won’t be motivated
to perform well. Once the basic needs are met, then the person moves on to the next level. Each level
needs to be met before moving to the next. The highest level is self-actualization; reaching one’s full
potential.
Physiological- food, water, warmth
Safety - freedom from fear, security
Belongingness- intimate relationships, friends
Esteem - feeling of accomplishment, recognition
Self-Actualization - achieving one's full potential.
85
McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y
```
Douglas McGregor believed that employees fit into one of two different categories. Each theory is based on the environment and its needs. Neither one is preferred over the other.
Theory X
• Dislike or avoid work
• Must be controlled
• Avoid responsibility
• Are lazy
• Must be forced or coerced to work
Theory Y
• Like work
• Exercise self-direction
• Seek responsibility
• Want to achieve
• Work without supervision
```
86
Fiedler's Contingency Theory
Fred Fiedler developed the contingency theory based on his belief that a leader’s effectiveness is
contingent upon the situation. A leader can either be task oriented or relationship oriented. The
effectiveness of one over the other is dependent on the situation and the individual.
87
Herzberg's Hygiene Theory
Frederick Herzberg’s hygiene theory has nothing to do with personal hygiene, as the name might lead you
to believe. Herzberg’s theory is similar to Maslow’s in that having the hygiene factors doesn’t necessarily
lead to satisfaction, but the lack thereof, will lead to dissatisfaction. Also, the presence of the motivating
factors may lead to motivation, but not without the hygiene factors.
88
Vroom's Expectancy Theory
Victor Vroom developed the expectancy theory and stated that people behave in a certain way based on
what they expect the result will be. For example, people will work toward a goal if they think the goal or
reward is achievable.
89
McClelland's Needs Theory
David McClelland believed that each person has one of three main driving motivators: the need for
achievement, power, or affiliation.
90
Communication Technology
A set of specific methods used to transfer information among project stakeholders. Factors that affect the choice of communication technology include:
• Urgency and need for information
• Availability and reliability of technology
• Ease of use
• Project environment
• Sensitivity and confidentiality of the information
91
Communication Models
represents the communication process between a
sender and a receiver. This is another favorite for the exam. You’ll need to understand the communication
models. Let’s discuss the basic communication model, which has three components:
• The sender encodes the message.
• The sender transmits the message.
• The receiver decodes the message.
92
Communication Requirements Analysis
an analytical technique to determine the information needs of the project stakeholders. This is done through:
• Stakeholder register
• Communication channels
• Organizational charts
• Project organization and stakeholder responsibility, relationships, and interdependencies
• Internal and external information needs
• Legal requirements
• Development approach
93
Communication Methods
Used to transfer information among project
stakeholders. Several communication methods are important to recognize for the exam, including:
• Interactive is when multiple parties communicate directly with each other. Examples might be phone
calls or instant messaging.
• Push communication is when communications are sent directly to the stakeholders. This might be
through emails, voicemails, or letters.
• Pull communication is when the information is posted somewhere, like the company intranet.
Stakeholders then “pull” that information when they are ready to review it. This is really good when the
communication needs to go to large numbers of people
94
Active Listening
Active listening is where the sender and receiver take actions to make sure the message is understood.
95
Effective Listening
Effective listening is when the receiver gives the sender his or her full attention and observes verbal
and nonverbal cues and provides feedback.
96
Feedback
Feedback can be conveyed by nodding, eye contact, hand gestures, acknowledging comments, and
asking questions.
97
Paralingual
Paralingual is done by listening to the pitch of a person’s voice.
98
Five Cs of Communication
```
Correct Grammar and Spelling
Concise Wording
Clear Expression
Coherent Flow of Ideas
Control of Words and Ideas
```
99
Facilitation
Facilitation ensures that there is effective participation, that participants achieve a mutual understanding, that all contributions are considered, and that conclusions or results have full buy-in according to the decision process established for the project.
100
Strategies for Threats
1) Avoid the Risk
2) Transfer the Risk Responisbility
3) Mitigate the Risk Likelihood
101
Strategies for Opportunities
1) Exploit the Risk(Opportunity)
2) Enhance the Risk(Opportunity)
3) Share the Risk(Opportunity)
102
Strategies for Opportunities and Threats
1) Acceptance of the risk
| 2) Escalation of the risk to the program or portfolio level.
103
Residual Risk
A risk that remains after risk responses have been implemented.
104
Secondary Risk
Risk that arises as a direct result of implementing a risk response.
105
Fallback Plan
An alternative set of actions in case the primary response was abandoned or not effective.
106
Delphi Technique
The Delphi Technique is a method used to estimate the likelihood and outcome of future events. A group of experts exchange views, and each independently gives estimates and assumptions to a facilitator who reviews the data and issues a summary report.
107
Alternatives Analysis
This technique is used to assess the requested changes and decide which are accepted, rejected, or need to be modified to be finally accepted.
108
Nominal Group Technique
The nominal group technique enhances brainstorming with a voting process used to rank the most useful ideas for further brainstorming or for prioritization.
109
Development Approach
Defines whether waterfall, iterative, adaptive, agile, or a hybrid will be used.
110
Firm Fixed Price Contracts (FFP)
When the buyer pays the seller a set amount (as
| defined by the contract), regardless of the seller’s costs.
111
Fixed Price Incentive Fee (FPIF)
When the buyer pays the seller a set amount (as
defined by the contract), and the seller can earn an additional amount if the seller meets predefined performance, cost, or schedule criteria. An example might be that the buyer agrees to pay the seller an additional $2,000 if the seller completes the predefined work a week early.
112
Fixed Price with Economic Price Adjustment (FP-EPA)
Provides a special provision allowing for predefined final adjustments to the contract price due to changed
conditions, such as inflation changes or cost increases (or decreases) for specific commodities. For example, the cost of fuel, steel, or interest rates.
113
Cost Reimbursable Contract
A contract involving payment to the seller for the seller’s actual costs, plus a fee typically representing seller’s profit. This type is often used when the scope of work is likely to change during the execution of the contract. Cost-reimbursable contracts often include
incentive clauses where, if the seller meets or exceeds selected project objectives, such as schedule
targets or total cost, then the seller receives, from the buyer, an incentive or bonus payment.
114
Time and Materials Contract (T&M)
Also known as time and means, are a hybrid type of contract with both cost-reimbursable and fixed-price. This is where the seller charges for both time and cost
of materials to complete the defined work. The buyer bears the risk in these types of contracts. This
contract type is best for the seller. Typically, these are contracts where the statement of work is not
well defined.
