IT 510 Ch 3 Flashcards
Activity
Any work that has a beginning and an end, and requires the use of company resources including people, time, and/or money. Examples include conducting a series of interviews, designing a report, selecting software, waiting for the delivery of equipment, and training users. See also task.
Best-case estimate
The most optimistic outcome
Bottom-up technique
A method for analyzing a large, complex project as a series of individual tasks, called project tasks.
Brooks’ Law
Frederick Brooks, an IBM engineer, observed that adding more manpower to a late software project only makes it later.
Code review
See structured walk-through.
Concurrent task
A task that can be completed at the same time as (in parallel with another task.
Critical path
A series of events and activities with no slack time. If any activity along the critical path falls behind schedule, entire project schedule is similarly delayed. As the name implies, a critical path includes all activities that are vital to the project schedule.
Critical Path Method (CPM)
Shows a project as a network diagram. The activities are shown as vectors, and the events are displayed graphically as nodes. Although CPM developed separately from the Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT), the two methods are essentially identical. See also PERT/CPM.
Dependent task
A task is said to be dependent when it has to be completed in a serial sequence.
Design review
See structured walk-through.
duration
The amount of time it will take to complete a task.
Event
A reference point that marks a major occurrence. Used to monitor progress and manage a project. See also milestone.
Finish day/date
the day or date when a task is scheduled to be finished.
Gantt chart
A horizontal bar chart that illustrates a schedule. Developed many years ago by Henry L. Gantt as a production control technique. Still are in common use today.
Milestone
A reference point that marks a major occurrence. Used to monitor progress and manage a project. See also event.
Network diagram
A PERT chart also is referred to as a network diagram
Open source
Software that is supported by a large group of users and developers. The source code is made freely available.
Person-day
The amount of work that one person can complete in one day.
PERT/CPM
The Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) was developed by the U.S. Navy to manage very complex projects, such as the construction of nuclear submarines. At approximately the same time, the Critical Path Method (CPM) was developed by private industry to meet similar project management needs. The important distinctions between the two methods have disappeared over time, and today the technique is called either PERT, CPM, or PERT/CPM.
Predecessor task
A single prior task upon which two or more concurrent tasks depend.
Probably-case estimate
The most likely outcome is called probable-case estimate
Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)
See PERT/CPM.
Project coordinator
The person who handles administrative responsibilities for the development team and negotiates with users who might have conflicting requirements or want changes that would require additional time or expense.
Project leader
The person charged with leading a project from a technical perspective
Project management
The process of planning, scheduling, monitoring, controlling, and reporting upon the development of an information system
Project manager
The person charged with managing a project from an administrative perspective.
Code review
See structured walk-through
Concurrent task
A task that can be completed at the same time as (in parallel with) another task.