Key Definitions Flashcards
Acceptance Criteria
A set of conditions that is required to be met before deliverables are accepted
Accepted Deliverables
Products, results, or capabilities produced by a project and validated by the project customer or sponsors as meeting their specified acceptance criteria
Accuracy
Within the quality management system, accuracy is an assessment of correctness
Acquire Resources
The process of obtaining team members, facilities, equipment, materials, supplies, and other resources necessary to complete project work
Acquisition
Obtaining human and material resources necessary to perform project activities. Acquisition implies a cost of resources, and is not necessarily financial
Activity
A distinct, scheduled portion of work performed during the course of a project
Activity Attributes
Multiple attributes associated with each schedule activity that can be included within the activity list. Activity attributes include activity codes, predecessor activities, successor activities, logical relationships, leads and lags, resource requirements, imposed dates, constraints, and assumptions
Activity Duration
The time in calendar units between the start and finish of a schedule activity
Activity Duration Estimates
The quantitative assessments of the likely number of time periods that are required to complete and activity
Activity List
A document tabulation of schedule activities that shows the activity description, activity identifier, and a sufficiently detailed scope of work description so project team members understand what work is to be performed
Activity-on-Node (AON)
See: Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)
Actual Cost (AC)
The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time period
Actual Duration
The time in calendar units between the actual start date of the schedule activity and either the data date of the project schedule is the schedule activity is in progress or the actual finish date if the schedule activity is complete
Adaptive Life Cycle
A project life cycle that is iterative or incremental
Affinity Diagrams
A technique that allows large numbers of ideas to be classified into groups for review and analysis
Agreements
Any document or communication that defines the initial intentions of a project. This can take the form of a contract, memorandum of understanding (MOU), letters of agreement, verbal agreements, email, etc.
Alternative Analysis
A technique used to evaluate identified options in order to select the options or approaches to use
to execute and perform the work of the project
Analogous Estimating
A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data
from a similar activity or project.
Analytical Techniques
Various techniques used to evaluate, analyze, or forecast potential outcomes based on possible
variations of project or environmental variables and their relationships with other variables.
Assumption
A factor in the planning process that is considered to be true, real, or certain, without proof or demonstration.
Assumption Log
A project document used to record all assumptions and constraints throughout the project life cycle.
Attribute Spending
Method of measuring quality that consists of noting the presence (or absence) of some characteristic
(attribute) in each of the units under consideration.
Authority
The right to apply project resources, expend funds, make decisions, or give approvals.
Backward Pass
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.
Bar Chart
A graphic display of schedule-related information. In the typical bar chart, schedule activities or work
breakdown structure components are listed down the left side of the chart, dates are shown across the top, and activity
durations are shown as date-placed horizontal bars. See also Gantt chart.
Baseline
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 to actual results.
Basis of Estimates
Supporting documentation outlining the details used in establishing project estimates such as
assumptions, constraints, level of detail, ranges, and confidence levels.
Benchmarking
Benchmarking is the comparison of actual or planned products, processes, and practices to those
of comparable organizations to identify best practices, generate ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for
measuring performance.
Benefits Management Plan
The documented explanation defining the processes for creating, maximizing, and
sustaining the benefits provided by a project or program.
Bid Documents
All documents used to solicit information, quotations, or proposals from prospective sellers.
Bidder Conference
The meetings with prospective sellers prior to the preparation of a bid or proposal to ensure all
prospective vendors have a clear and common understanding of the procurement. Also known as contractor conferences,
vendor conferences, or pre-bid conferences.
Bottom-Up Estimating
A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower-level
components of the work breakdown structure (WBS).
Budget
The approved estimate for the project or any work breakdown structure component or any schedule activity.
Budget at Completion (BAC)
The sum of all budgets established for the work to be performed.
Buffer
See “Reserve” Definition
Business Case
A documented economic feasibility study used to establish validity of the benefits of a selected
component lacking sufficient definition and that is used as a basis for the authorization of further project
management activities.
Business Value
The net quantifiable benefit derived from a business endeavor. The benefit may be tangible,
intangible, or both.
Cause and Effect Diagram
A decomposition technique that helps trace an undesirable effect back to its root cause.
Change
A modification to any formally controlled deliverable, project management plan component, or project document
Change Control
process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines associated with the project
are identified, documented, approved, or rejected
Change Control Board (CCB)
A formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying,
or rejecting changes to the project, and for recording and communicating such decisions.
Change Control System
A set of procedures that describes how modifications to the project deliverables and
documentation are managed and controlled
Change Control Tools
Manual or automated tools to assist with change and/or configuration management.
At a minimum, the tools should support the activities of the CCB
Change Log
A comprehensive list of changes submitted during the project and their current status.
Change Management Plan
A component of the project management plan that establishes the change control board,
documents the extent of its authority, and describes how the change control system will be implemented
Change Request
A formal proposal to modify a document, deliverable, or baseline.
Checklist Analysis
A technique for systematically reviewing materials using a list for accuracy and completeness
Checksheets
A tally sheet that can be used as a checklist when gathering data.
Claim
A request, demand, or assertion of rights by a seller against a buyer, or vice versa, for consideration, compensation,
or payment under the terms of a legally binding contract, such as for a disputed change
Claims Administration
The process of processing, adjudicating, and communicating contract claims
Close Project or Phase
The process of finalizing all activities for the project, phase, or contract
Closing Process Group
The process(es) performed to formally complete or close a project, phase, or contract
Code of Accounts
A numbering system used to uniquely identify each component of the work breakdown
structure (WBS).
Collect Requirements
The process of determining, documenting, and managing stakeholder needs and requirements
to meet project objectives.
Colocation
An organizational placement strategy where the project team members are physically located close to one
another in order to improve communication, working relationships, and productivity
Communication Methods
A systematic procedure, technique, or process used to transfer information among project
stakeholders.
Communication Models
A description, analogy, or schematic used to represent how the communication process will
be performed for the project.
Communication Requirements Analysis
An analytical technique to determine the information needs of the project
stakeholders through interviews, workshops, study of lessons learned from previous projects, etc.
Communications Management Plan
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
Communication Styles Assessment
technique to identify the preferred communication method, format, and content
for stakeholders for planned communication activities.
Communication Technology
Specific tools, systems, computer programs, etc., used to transfer information among
project stakeholders
Conduct Procurements
The process of obtaining seller responses, selecting a seller, and awarding a contract
Configuration Management Plan
A component of the project management plan that describes how to identify and
account for project artifacts under configuration control, and how to record and report changes to them.
Configuration Management System
A collection of procedures used to track project artifacts and monitor and control
changes to these artifacts.
Conformance
Within the quality management system, conformance is a general concept of delivering results that fall
within the limits that define acceptable variation for a quality requirement
Constraint
A limiting factor that affects the execution of a project, program, portfolio, or process
Context Diagrams
A visual depiction of the product scope showing a business system (process, equipment, computer
system, etc.), and how people and other systems (actors) interact with it
Contingency
An event or occurrence that could affect the execution of the project that may be accounted for with
a reserve.
Contingency Reserve
Time or money allocated in the schedule or cost baseline for known risks with active
response strategies.
Contingent Response Strategies
Responses provided which may be used in the event that a specific trigger occurs.
Contract
A contract is a mutually binding agreement that obligates the seller to provide the specified product or service
or result and obligates the buyer to pay for it
Contract Change Control System
he system used to collect, track, adjudicate, and communicate changes to
a contract
Control
Comparing actual performance with planned performance, analyzing variances, assessing trends to effect
process improvements, evaluating possible alternatives, and recommending appropriate corrective action as ne
Control Account
A management control point where scope, budget, actual cost, and schedule are integrated and
compared to earned value for performance measurement
Control Chart
A graphic display of process data over time and against established control limits, which has a centerline
that assists in detecting a trend of plotted values toward either control limit.
Control Costs
The process of monitoring the status of the project to update the project costs and manage changes to
the cost baseline.
Control Limits
The area composed of three standard deviations on either side of the centerline or mean of a
normal distribution of data plotted on a control chart, which reflects the expected variation in the data. See also
specification limits.
Control Procurements
The process of managing procurement relationships, monitoring contract performance, making
changes and corrections as appropriate, and closing out contracts.
Control Quality
The process of monitoring and recording results of executing the quality management activities to
assess performance and ensure the project outputs are complete, correct, and meet customer expectations.
Control Resources
The process of ensuring that the physical resources assigned and allocated to the project are
available as planned, as well as monitoring the planned versus actual utilization of resources and performing corrective
action as necessary.
Control Schedule
The process of monitoring the status of the project to update the project schedule and manage
changes to the schedule baseline.
Control Scope
The process of monitoring the status of the project and product scope and managing changes to the
scope baseline.
Corrective Action
An intentional activity that realigns the performance of the project work with the project
management plan.
Cost Aggregation
Summing the lower-level cost estimates associated with the various work packages for a given level
within the project’s WBS or for a given cost control account.
Cost Baseline
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
Cost-Benefit Analysis
A financial analysis tool used to determine the benefits provided by a project against its costs
Cost Management Plan
A component of a project or program management plan that describes how costs will be
planned, structured, and controlled.
Cost of Quality (CoQ)
All costs incurred over the life of the product by investment in preventing nonconformance to
requirements, appraisal of the product or service for conformance to requirements, and failure to meet requirements
Cost Performance Index (CPI)
A measure of the cost efficiency of budgeted resources expressed as the ratio of earned
value to actual cost
Cost Plus Award Fee Contract (CPAF)
A category of contract that involves payments to the seller for all legitimate
actual costs incurred for completed work, plus an award fee representing seller profit
Cost Plus Fixed Fee Contract (CPFF)
A type of cost-reimbursable contract where the buyer reimburses the seller for
the seller’s allowable costs (allowable costs are defined by the contract) plus a fixed amount of profit (fee).
Cost Plus Incentive Fee Contract (CPIF)
A type of cost-reimbursable contract where the buyer reimburses the seller
for the seller’s allowable costs (allowable costs are defined by the contract), and the seller earns its profit if it meets
defined performance criteria.
Cost-Reimbursable Contract
A type of contract involving payment to the seller for the seller’s actual costs, plus a fee
typically representing the seller’s profit.
Cost Variance (CV)
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.
Crashing
A technique used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources
Create WBS
The process of subdividing project deliverables and project work into smaller, more manageable
components.
Criteria
Standards, rules, or tests on which a judgment or decision can be based or by which a product, service, result,
or process can be evaluated
Critical Path
The sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines the
shortest possible duration.
Critical Path Activity
Any activity on the critical path in a project schedule.
Critical Path Method (CPM)
A method used to estimate the minimum project duration and determine the amount
of schedule flexibility on the logical network paths within the schedule model
Data
Discrete, unorganized, unprocessed measurements or raw observations
Data Analysis Techniques
Techniques used to organize, assess, and evaluate data and information
Data Date
A point in time when the status of the project is recorded
Data Gathering Techniques
Techniques used to collect data and information from a variety of sources.
Data Representation Techniques
Graphic representations or other methods used to convey data and information
Decision-Making Techniques
Techniques used to select a course of action from different alternatives
Decision Tree Analysis
A diagramming and calculation technique for evaluating the implications of a chain of multiple
options in the presence of uncertainty
Decomposition
A technique used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller,
more manageable parts
Defect
An imperfection or deficiency in a project component where that component does not meet its requirements or
specifications and needs to be either repaired or replaced
Defect Repair
An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component
Define Activities
The process of identifying and documenting the specific actions to be performed to produce the
project deliverables.
Define Scope
The process of developing a detailed description of the project and product
Deliverable
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.
Dependency
See definition of “Logical Relationship”
Determine Budget
The process of aggregating the estimated costs of individual activities or work packages to establish
an authorized cost baseline
Development Approach
The method used to create and evolve the product, service, or result during the project life
cycle, such as predictive, iterative, incremental, agile, or a hybrid method
Develop Project Charter
The process of developing a document that formally authorizes the existence of a project and
provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities
Develop Project Management Plan
The process of defining, preparing, and coordinating all plan components and
consolidating them into an integrated project management plan.
Develop Schedule
The process of analyzing activity sequences, durations, resource requirements, and schedule
constraints to create the project schedule model for project execution and monitoring and controlling
Develop Team
The process of improving competences, team member interaction, and overall team environment to
enhance project performance
Diagramming Techniques
Approaches to presenting information with logical linkages that aid in understanding
Direct and Manage Project Work
The process of leading and performing the work defined in the project management
plan and implementing approved changes to achieve the project’s objectives
Discrete Effort
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.]
Discretionary Dependency
relationship that is established based on knowledge of best practices within a particular
application area or an aspect of the project where a specific sequence is desired
Documentation Reviews
The process of gathering a corpus of information and reviewing it to determine accuracy
and completeness.
Duration
The total number of work periods required to complete an activity or work breakdown structure component,
expressed in hours, days, or weeks. Contrast with effort.
Early Finish Date (EF)
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.
Early Start Date (ES)
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
Earned Value (EV)
The measure of work performed expressed in terms of the budget authorized for that work.
Earned Value Management (EVM)
A methodology that combines scope, schedule, and resource measurements to assess
project performance and progress.
Effort
The number of labor units required to complete a schedule activity or work breakdown structure component,
often expressed in hours, days, or weeks. Contrast with duration
Emotional Intelligence
The ability to identify, assess, and manage the personal emotions of oneself and other people,
as well as the collective emotions of groups of people
Enterprise Environmental Factors
Conditions, not under the immediate control of the team, that influence, constrain,
or direct the project, program, or portfolio.
Estimate
A quantitative assessment of the likely amount or outcome of a variable, such as project costs, resources,
effort, or durations.
Estimate Activity Durations
The process of estimating the number of work periods needed to complete individual
activities with the estimated resources
Estimate Activity Resources
The process of estimating team resources and the type and quantities of material,
equipment, and supplies necessary to perform project work
Estimate at Completion (EAC)
The expected total cost of completing all work expressed as the sum of the actual cost
to date and the estimate to complete.
Estimate Costs
The process of developing an approximation of the monetary resources needed to complete
project work.
Estimate to Complete (ETC)
The expected cost to finish all the remaining project work
Execute
Directing, managing, performing, and accomplishing the project work; providing the deliverables; and providing
work performance information
Executing Process Group
Those processes performed to complete the work defined in the project management plan
to satisfy the project requirements
Expert Judgment
Judgment provided based upon expertise in an application area, knowledge area, discipline, industry,
etc., as appropriate for the activity being performed. Such expertise may be provided by any group or person with
specialized education, knowledge, skill, experience, or training
Explicit Knowledge
Knowledge that can be codified using symbols such as words, numbers, and pictures.
External Dependency
A relationship between project activities and non-project activities.
Fallback Plan
Fallback plans include an alternative set of actions and tasks available in the event that the primary plan
needs to be abandoned because of issues, risks, or other causes
Fast Tracking
A schedule compression technique in which activities or phases normally done in sequence are performed
in parallel for at least a portion of their duration
Fee
Represents profit as a component of compensation to a seller
Finish Date
A point in time associated with a schedule activity’s completion. Usually qualified by one of the following:
actual, planned, estimated, scheduled, early, late, baseline, target, or current.
Finish-to-Finish (FF)
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity
has finished.
Finish-to-Start (FS)
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity
has finished.
Firm Fixed Price Contract (FFP)
A type of fixed price contract where the buyer pays the seller a set amount (as defined
by the contract), regardless of the seller’s costs.
Fixed Price Contract
An agreement that sets the fee that will be paid for a defined scope of work regardless of the
cost or effort to deliver it.
Fixed Price Incentive Fee Contract (FPIF)
A type of contract where 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 defined performance criteria
Fixed Price with Economic Price Adjustment Contract (FPEPA)
A fixed-price contract, but with 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
Flowchart
The depiction in a diagram format of the inputs, process actions, and outputs of one or more processes
within a system
Focus Groups
An elicitation technique that brings together prequalified stakeholders and subject matter experts to
learn about their expectations and attitudes about a proposed product, service, or result.
Forecast
An estimate or prediction of conditions and events in the project’s future based on information and knowledge
available at the time of the forecast
Forward Pass
critical path method technique for calculating the early start and early finish dates by working forward
through the schedule model from the project start date or a given point in time
Free Float
The amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any
successor or violating a schedule constraint
Functional Organization
An organizational structure in which staff is grouped by areas of specialization and the project
manager has limited authority to assign work and apply resources
Funding Limit Reconciliation
The process of comparing the planned expenditure of project funds against any
limits on the commitment of funds for the project to identify any variances between the funding limits and the
planned expenditures
Gantt Chart
A bar chart of schedule information where activities are listed on the vertical axis, dates are shown on the
horizontal axis, and activity durations are shown as horizontal bars placed according to start and finish dates.
Grade
A category or rank used to distinguish items that have the same functional use but do not share the same
requirements for quality
Ground Rules
Expectations regarding acceptable behavior by project team members
Histogram
A bar chart that shows the graphical representation of numerical data
Historical Information
Documents and data on prior projects including project files, records, correspondence, closed
contracts, and closed projects.
Identify Risks
The process of identifying individual risks as well as sources of overall risk and documenting their
characteristics.
Identify Stakeholders
The process of identifying project stakeholders regularly and analyzing and documenting
relevant information regarding their interests, involvement, interdependencies, influence, and potential impact on
project success.
Implement Risk Responses
The process of implementing agreed-upon risk response plans
Imposed Date
A fixed date imposed on a schedule activity or schedule milestone, usually in the form of a “start no
earlier than” and “finish no later than” date
Incentive Fee
A set of financial incentives related to cost, schedule, or technical performance of the seller
Incremental Life Cycle
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
Independent Estimates
A process of using a third party to obtain and analyze information to support prediction of cost,
schedule, or other items.
Influence Diagram
A graphical representation of situations showing causal influences, time ordering of events, and
other relationships among variables and outcomes.
Information
Organized or structured data, processed for a specific purpose to make it meaningful, valuable, and useful
in specific contexts.
Information Management Systems
Facilities, processes, and procedures used to collect, store, and distribute
information between producers and consumers of information in physical or electronic format
Initiating Process Group
Those processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by
obtaining authorization to start the project or phase
Input
Any item, whether internal or external to the project, which is required by a process before that process proceeds.
May be an output from a predecessor process
Inspection
Examination of a work product to determine whether it conforms to documented standards
Interpersonal and Team Skills
Skills used to effectively lead and interact with team members and other stakeholders
Interpersonal Skills
Skills used to establish and maintain relationships with other people
Interviews
A formal or informal approach to elicit information from stakeholders by talking to them directly.
Invitation for Bid (IFB)
Generally, this term is equivalent to request for proposal. However, in some application areas,
it may have a narrower or more specific meaning
Issue
current condition or situation that may have an impact on the project objectives
Issue Log
A project document where information about issues is recorded and monitored
