PMBOK Glossary v2

Question 1

Acceptance Criteria

Answer 1

A set of conditions that is required to be met before deliverables are accepted

Question 2

Accepted Deliverables

Answer 2

Products, results or capabilities produced by a project and validated by the project customer or sponsors as meeting their specified acceptance criteria

Question 3

Accuracy

Answer 3

Within the quality management system, “accuracy” is an assessment of correctness

Question 4

Acquire Project Team

Answer 4

TPO-confirming human resource availability and obtaining the team necessary to complete project activities

Question 5

Acquisition

Answer 5

Obtaining human and material resources necessary to perform project activities. Acquisition implies a cost of resources, and is not necessarily financial.

Question 6

Activity

Answer 6

A distinct, scheduled portion of work performed during the course of a project

Question 7

Activity Attributes

Answer 7

Multiple attributes associated with each schedule activity tha 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

Question 8

Activity Code

Answer 8

One or more numerical or text values that identify charachteristics of the work or in some way categorize the schedule activity that allows filtering and ordering of activities within reports.

Question 9

Activity Cost Estimates

Answer 9

The projected cost of the schedule activity that includes the cost for all resources required to perform and complete the activity, including all cost types and cost components.

Question 10

Activity Duration

Answer 10

The time in calendar units between the start and finish of a schedule activity. See also “duration”

Question 11

Activity Duration Estimates

Answer 11

The quantitative assessments of the likely number of time periods that are required to complete an activity.

Question 12

Activity Identifier

Answer 12

A shore, unique numeric or text identification assigned to each schedule activity to differentiate the project activity from other activities. Typically unique within any one project schedule network diagram.

Question 13

Activity List

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Activity Network Diagrams

Answer 14

See “project schedule network diagram”

Question 15

Activity-on-Node (AON)

Answer 15

See “precedence diagramming method” (PDM)

Question 16

Activity Resource Requirements

Answer 16

The types and quantitites of resources required for each activity in a work package

Question 17

Actual Cost (AC)

Answer 17

The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time period.

Question 18

Actual Duration

Answer 18

The time in calendar units between the the actual start date of the schedule activity and either the data date of the project schdule if the schedule activity is in progress or the actual finish date if the schedule activity is complete

Question 19

Adaptive Life Cycle

Answer 19

A project life cycle, aka change-driven or agile methods, that is intended to facilitate change and require a high degree of ongoing stakeholder involvement. Adaptive life cycles are also iterative and incremental, but differ in that iterations are very rapid (usually 2-4 weeks in length) and are fixed in time and resources

Question 20

Additional Quality Planning Tools

Answer 20

A set of tools used to define the quality requirements and to plan effective quality management activities. They include, but are not limited to: brainstorming, force field analysis, nominal group techniques and quality management and control tools

Question 21

Adjusting Leads and Lags

Answer 21

A technique used to find ways to bring project activities that are behind into alignment with plan during project execution.

Question 22

Advertising

Answer 22

TPO-calling attention to a project or effort.

Question 23

Affintiy Diagram

Answer 23

A group creativity technique that allows large numbers of ideas to be classified into groups for review and analysis.

Question 24

Agreements

Answer 24

Any document or communication that defines the initial intentions of a project. The can take the form of a contract, MOU, letters of agreement, verbal agreements, email, etc

Question 25

Alternative Analysis

Answer 25

A technique used to evaluate identified options in order to select which options or approaches to use to execute and perform the work of the project

Question 26

Alternatives Generation

Answer 26

A technique used to develop as many potential options as possible in order to identify different approaches to execute and perform the work of the project.

Question 27

Analogous Estimating

Answer 27

A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project.

Question 28

Analytical Techniques

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

Application Area

Answer 29

A category of projects that have common components significant in such projects, but are not needed or present in all projects. Application areas are usually defined in terms of either the product (i.e. by similar technologies or production methods) or the type of customer (i.e. internal vs. external, government vs. commerical) or industry sector (i.e. utilities, automotive, aerospace, information technologies, etc) Application areas can overlap

Question 30

Applying Leads and Lags

Answer 30

A technique that is used to adjust the amount of time between predecessor and successor activities

Question 31

Apportioned Effort

Answer 31

An activity where effort is allotted proportionally across certain discrete efforts and not divisible into discrete efforts [NOTE: Apportioned effort is one of three earned value management (EVM) types of activities used to measure work performance]

Question 32

Approved Change Request

Answer 32

A change request that has been processed through the integrated change control process and approved

Question 33

Approved Change Requests Review

Answer 33

A review of the change requests to verify that these were implemented as approved.

Question 34

Assumption

Answer 34

A factor in the planning process that is considered to be true, real, or certain, without proof of demonstration.

Question 35

Assumptions Analysis

Answer 35

A technique that explores the accuracy of assumptions and identifies risks to the project from inaccuracy, inconsistency, or incompleteness of assumptions

Question 36

Attribute Sampling

Answer 36

Method of measuring quality that consists of nothing the presence (or absence) of some charachteristic (attribute) in each of the units under consideration. After each unit is inspected, the decision is made to accept a lot, reject it, or inspect another unity.

Question 37

Authority

Answer 37

The right to apply project resources, expend funds, make decisions, or give approvals.

Question 38

Backlog

Answer 38

A listing of product requirements and deliverables to be completed, written as stories, and prioritized by the business to manage and organize the project’s work.

Question 39

Backward Pass

Answer 39

A critical path method technique for calculating the late start and late finish dates by working backward through the schedule modeul from the project end date.

Question 40

Bar Chart

Answer 40

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 show across the top, and activity durations are shown as date-placed horizontal bars. See also “Gantt chart”

Question 41

Baseline

Answer 41

The approved version of a work product that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparision.

Question 42

Basis of Estimates

Answer 42

Supporting documentation outlining the details used in establishing project estimates such as assumptions, constraints, level of detail, ranges, and confidence levels.

Question 43

Benchmarking

Answer 43

Benchmarking is the comparison of actual or planned practices, such as processes and operations, to those of comparable organizations to identify best practices, generate ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for measuring performance

Question 44

Bidder Conference

Answer 44

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.

Question 45

Bottom-Up Estimating

Answer 45

A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower level components of the work breakdown structure (WBS)

Question 46

Brainstorming

Answer 46

A general data gathering and creativity technique that can be used to identify risks, ideas, or solutions to issues by using a group of team members or subject matter experts

Question 47

Budget

Answer 47

The approved estimate for the project or any work breakdown structure component or any schedule activity.

Question 48

Budget at Completion (BAC)

Answer 48

The sum of all budgets established for the work to be performed

Question 49

Buffer

Answer 49

see “reserve”

Question 50

Business Case

Answer 50

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.

Question 51

Business Value

Answer 51

A concept that is unique to each organization and includes tangible and intangible elements. Through the effective use of project, program, and portfolio management disciplines, organizations will possess the ability to employ reliable, established processes to meet enterprise objectives and obtain greater business value from their investments.

Question 52

Buyer

Answer 52

The acquirer of products, services, or results for an organization.

Question 53

Cause and Effect Diagram

Answer 53

A decomposition technique that helps trace an undesirable effect back to its root cause.

Question 54

Central Tendency

Answer 54

A property of the central limit theorem predicting that the data observations in a distribution will tend to group around a central location. The three typical measures of central tendency are the mean, median, and mode.

Question 55

Change Control

Answer 55

A process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines associated with the project are identified, documented, approved or rejected.

Question 56

Change Control Board (CCB)

Answer 56

A formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes to the project, and for recording and communicating such decisions.