PMBOK Glossary Flashcards
Acceptance Criteria
A set of conditions that is requied to be met before deliverables are accepted.
Accuracy
Within the quality management system, accuracy is an assessment to correctness.
Activity List
A documented 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.
AC
Actual Cost
The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time period.
Adaptive Approach
A developmental approach, in which the requirements are subject to a high level of uncertainty and voltality and are likely to change throughtout the porject.
Affinity Diagram
A diagram that shows large numbers of ideas classified into groups for review and analysis.
Affinity Grouping
The process of classifying items into similar categories or collections on the basis of their likeness.
Agile
A term used to descibe a mindset of values and principles as set forth in the Agile Manifesto.
Alternative Analysis
A method used to evaluate identified options in order to select the options or approaches to use to perform the work of the project.
Ambiguity
A state of being unclear, having difficulty in identifying the cause of events, or having multiple options from which to choose.
Analogous Estimating
A method for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project.
Aritfact
A template, document, output, or project deliverable.
Assumption
A factor in the planning process that is considered to be true, real, or certain, without proof of demonstration.
Assumption and Constraint Analysis
An assessment tha ensures assumptions and constraints are integrated into the project plans and douments, and that there is consistency among them.
Assumption Log
A project document used to record all assumptions and constraints throughout the project.
Authority
The right to apply project resources, expend funds, make decisions, or give approvals.
Backlog
An ordered list of work to be done.
Backlog Refinement
Progressive elaboration of the content in the backlog and (re)prioritizationof it to identify the work that can be accomplished in an upcoming iteration.
Baseline
The approved version of a work product, used as a basis for comparison to actual results.
Basis of Estimates
Supporting documetation outlining the details used in establishing project estimates such as assumptions, constraints, level of detail, ranges, and confidence levels.
Benchmarking
The comparison of actual or planned products, processes, and practices to those of comparable organizations to identify best practices to those of comparable organizations to identify best practices, generate ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for measuring performance.
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 confrences, or pre-bid confrences.
Blocker
See impediment.
Budget
The approved estimate for the project or any WBS (work breakdown structure) component or any scheduled activty.
BAC
Budget at Completion
The sum of all budgest established for the work to be performed.
Burn Chart
A graphical representation of the work remaining in a timebox or the work completed toward the release of a product or project deleverable.
Business Case
A value proposition for a proposed project that may include financial and nonfinancil benefits.
Business Model Canvas
A one-page, visual summary that describe the value proposition, infrastructure, customers, and finances. These are often used in Lean Startup situations.
Business Value
The net quantifiable benefit derived from a business endeavor that may be tangible, intangible, or both.
Cadence
A rythm of activities conducted throughtout the project.
Cause-and-Effect Diagram
A visual representation 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
A process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines associated with the project are identified, documented, approved, or rejected.
CCB
Change Contol Board
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 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.
Stakeholder
An individual, group, or organization that may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project, program, or portfolio.
Stakeholder Analysis
A method of systematically gathering and analyzing quantities and qualitative information to determine whose interest should be taken into account throughout the project.
Change Control System
A set of procedures that describes how modifications to the project deliverables and documentation are managed and controlled.
Change Log
A comprehensive list of changes submitted during the project and their current status.
Change Management
A comprehensive, cyclic, and structured approach for transititioning individuals, groups, and organizations from a current state to a future state with intended business benefits.
Change Request
A formal proposal to modify a document, deliverable, or baseline.
Charter
See project charter.
Check Sheet
A tally sheet that can be used as a checklist when gathering data.
Closing Process Group
The process(es) performed to formally complete or close a project, phase, or contract.
Communications Management Plan
A component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how, when, and by whom infomration about the project will be administered and disseminated.
Complexity
A characteristic of a program or project or its environment that is difficult to manage due to human behavior, system behavior, and ambiguity.
Confirmation Bias
A type of cognitive bias that confirms preexisting beliefs of hypotheses.
Conformance
The degree to which the results meet the set quality requirements.
Constraint
A limiting factor that affects the execution of a project, program, portfolio, or process.
Contingency
An event or occurrence that could affect the execution of the project, which 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.
Continuous Delivery
The practice of delivering feature increments immediately to customers, often through the use of small batches of work and automation technology.
Contract
A mutually binding agreenment that obligates the seller to probide the specified product, service, or result and obligates the buyer to pay for it..
Control
The process of comparing actual performance with planned performance, analyzing variances, assessing trends to affect process improvements, evaluating possible alternatives, and recommending appropriate corrective action as needed.
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.
Cost Baseline
The approved version of the time-phased
Cost-Benefit Analysis
A finiancial analysis method 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.
COQ
Cost of Quality
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.
CPI
Cost Performance Index
A measure of the cost efficiency of budgeted resources expressed as the ratio of earned value to actual cost.
CPAF
Cost Plus Award Fee Contract
A category of contract that involves payments to seller for all legitimate actual cost incurred for completed work, plus an award fee representing seller profit.
CPFF
Cost Plus Fixed Fee Contract
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).
CPIF
Cost Plus Incentive Fee Contract
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 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
CV
Cost Variance
The amout 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 method used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources.
Criteria
Standards, rules, or tests on which a judgement 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.
CPM
Critical Path Method
A method used to estimate the minimum project duration and determine the amount of schedule flexibility on the logical network paths withhin the schedule model.
CDF
Cumulative Flow Diagram
A chart indicating features completed over time, features in other states of development, and those in the backlog.
Cycle Time
The total elapsed time from the start of a particular activity or work item to its completed over time.
Cycle Time Chart
A diagram that shows the average cycle time of the work items completed over time.
Daily Standups
A brief, daily collaboration meeting in which the team reviews progress from the pervious day, declares intentions for the current day, and highlights any obstacles encountered or anticipated.
Dashboard
A set of charts and graphs showing progress or performance against important measures of the project.
Data Gathering and Analysis Methods
Methods used to collect, assess, and evaluate data and information to gain a deeper understanding of a situation.
Decision Tree Analysis
A diagramming and calculation method for evaluating the implications of a chain of mutilple options in the prescence of uncertainty.
Decomposition
A method used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts.
DoD
Definition of Done
A checklist of all the criteria required to be met so that a deliverable can be considered ready for a customer use.
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.
