PMP Lexicon Flashcards
Acceptance Criteria
A set of conditions that are met before deliverables are accepted.
Activity
A distinct, scheduled portion of work performed during the course of a project
Activity Code
An alphanumeric value assigned to each activity that enables classifying, sorting, and filtering
Activity Identifier
A unique alphanumeric value assigned to an activity and used to differentiate that activity from other activities.
Activity Label
A phrase that names and describes an activity.
Actual Cost (AC)
The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time period
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
Apportioned Effort
An activity where effort is allotted proportionately across certain discrete efforts and not divisible into discrete efforts
Assumption
A factor in the planning process considered to be true, real, or certain, without proof or demonstration
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
Baseline
The approved version of a work product that can be changed using formal change control procedures and is used as the basis for comparison to actual results
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 at Completion (BAC)
The sum of all budgets established for the work to be performed
Change Control
A 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 Request
A formal proposal to modify a document, deliverable, or baseline
Code of Accounts
A numbering system used to uniquely identify each component of the work breakdown structure
Communications Management Plan
A component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how, when, and by whom information will be administered and disseminated
Configuration Management System
A collection of procedures used to track project artifacts and monitor and control changes to these artifacts
Constraint
A factor that limits the options for managing a project, program, portfolio, or process
Contingency Plan
A document describing actions that the project team can take if predetermined trigger conditions occur
Contingency Reserve
Time or money allocated in the schedule or cost baseline for known risks with active response strategies
Control Account
A management control point where scope, budget, actual cost, and schedule are integrated and compared to earned value for performance measurement
Corrective Action
An intentional activity that realigns the performance of the project work with the project management plan
Cost Baseline
The approved version of work package cost estimates and contingency reserve that can be changed using formal change control procedures and is used as the basis for comparison to actual results
Cost Management Plan
A component of a project or program management plan that describes how costs will be planned, structured, and controlled
Cost Performance Index (CPI)
A measure of the cost efficiency of budgeted resources expressed as the ratio of earned value to actual cost (EV/AC)
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 (EV-AC)
Crashing
A schedule compression technique used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources
Critical Chain Method
A schedule method that allows the project team to place buffers on any project schedule path to account for limited resources and project uncertainties
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
A method used to estimate the minimum project duration and determine the amount of scheduling flexibility on the logical network paths within the schedule model
Data Date
A point in time when the status of the project is recorded
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 Repair
An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component
Deliverable
Any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service that is produced to complete a process, phase, or project
Discrete Effort
An activity that can be planned and measured and that yields a specific output
Duration
The total number of work periods required to complete an activity or work breakdown structure component, expressed in hours, days, or weeks
Early Finish Date
In 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
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
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
Enterprise Environmental Factors
Conditions, not under the immediate control of the team, that influence, constrain, or direct the project, program, or portfolio
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 to Complete (ETC)
The expected cost to finish all the remaining project work
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
Finish-to-Finish
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has finished
Finish-to-Start
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has finished
Fixed Formula Method
A method of estimating earned value in which a specified percentage of the budget value of a work package is assigned to the start milestone and the remaining percentage is assigned when the work package is complete
Forward Pass
A 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
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
Lag
The amount of time whereby a successor activity will be delayed with respect to a predecessor activity
Late Finish Date
In the critical path method, the latest possible point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can finish based on the schedule network logic, the project completion date, and any schedule constraints
Late Start Date
In the critical path method, the latest possible point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can start based on the schedule network logic, the project completion date, and any schedule constraints
Lead
The amount of time whereby a successor activity can be advanced with respect to a predecessor activity
Lessons Learned
The knowledge gained during a project which shows how project events were addressed or should be addressed in the future for the purpose of improving future performance
Level of Effort
An activity that does not produce definitive end products and is measured by the passage of time
Logical Relationship
A dependency between two activities or between an activity and a milestone
Management Reserve
Time or money that management sets aside in addition to the schedule or cost baseline and releases for unforeseen work that is within the scope of the project
Matrix Organization
An organizational structure in which the project manager shares authority with the functional manager temporarily to assign work and apply resources
Mileston
A significant point or event in a project, program, or portfolio
Milestone Schedule
A type of schedule that presents milestones with planned dates
Most Likely Duration
An estimate of the most probably activity duration that takes into account all of the known variables that could affect performance
Near-Critical Activity
An activity with a total float that is deemed to be low based on expert judgment
Near-Critical Path
A sequence of activities with low float which, if exhausted, becomes a critical path sequence for the project
Network Logic
All activity dependencies in a project schedule network diagram
Network Path
A sequence of activities connected by logical relationships in a project schedule network diagram
Node
A point at which dependency lines connect on a schedule network diagram
Opportunity
A risk that would have a positive effect on one or more project objectives
Optimistic Duration
An estimate of the shortest activity duration that takes into account all of the known variables that could affect performance
Organization Breakdown Structure
A hierarchical representation of the project organization, which illustrates the relationship between project activities and the organizational units that will perform those activities
Organizational Enabler
A structural, cultural, technological, or human-resource practice that the performing organization can use to achieve strategic objectives
Organizational Process Assets
Plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases specific to and used by the performing organization
Organizational Project Management
A framework in which portfolio, program, and project management are integrated with organizational enablers in order to achieve strategic objectives
Organizational Project Management Maturity
The level of an organization’s ability to deliver the desired strategic outcomes in a predictable, controllable, and reliable manner
Parametric Estimating
An estimating technique in which an algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration based on historical data and project parameters
Path Convergence
A relationship in which a schedule activity has more than one predecessor
Path Divergence
A relationship in which a schedule activity has more than one successor
Percent Complete
An estimate expressed as a percent of the amount of work that has been completed on an activity or a work breakdown structure component
Performance Measurement Baseline
Integrated scope, schedule, and cost baselines used for comparison to manage, measure, and control project execution
Performing Organization
An enterprise whose personnel are the most directly involved in doing the work of the project or program
Pessimistic Duration
An estimate of the longest activity duration that takes into account all of the known variables that could affect performance
Phase Gate
A review at the end of a phase in which a decision is made to continue to the next phase, to continue with modification, or to end a project or program
Planned Value (PV)
The authorized budget assigned to scheduled work
Portfolio
Projects, programs, subsidiary portfolios, and operations managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives
Portfolio Balancing
The process of optimizing the mix of portfolio components to further the strategic objectives of the organization
Portfolio Charter
A document issued by a sponsor that authorizes and specifies the portfolio structure and links the portfolio to the organization’s strategic objectives
Portfolio Management
The centralized management of one or more portfolios to achieve strategic objectives
Portfolio Management Plan
A document that specifies how a portfolio will be organized, monitored, and controlled
Portfolio Manager
The person or group assigned by the performing organization to establish, balance, monitor, and control portfolio components in order to achieve strategic business objectives
Precedence Diagramming Method
A technique used for constructing a schedule model in which activities are represented by nodes and are graphically linked by one or more logical relationships to show the sequence in which the activities are to be performed
Predecessor Activity
An activity that logically comes before a dependent activity in a schedule
Preventive Action
An intentional activity that ensures the future performance of the project work is aligned with the project management plan
Probability and Impact Matrix
A grid for mapping the probability of occurrence of each risk and its impact on project objectives if that risk occurs
Procurement Management Plan
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how a team will acquire goods and services from outside of the performing organization
Product Life Cycle
The series of phases that represent the evolution of a product, from concept through delivery, growth, maturity, and to retirement
Program
Related projects, subsidiary programs, and program activities managed in a coordinated manner to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually
Program Charter
A document issued by a sponsor that authorizes the program management team to use organizational resources to execute the program and links the program to the organization’s strategic objectives
Program Evaluation and Revenue Technique (PERT)
A technique used to estimate project duration through a weighted average of optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely activity durations when there is uncertainty with the individual activity estimates
Program Management
The application of knowledge, skills, and principles to a program to achieve the program objectives and to obtain benefits and control not available by managing program components individually
Program Management Office
A management structure that standardizes the program-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing or resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques
Program Management Plan
A document that integrates the program’s subsidiary plans and establishes the management controls and overall plan for integrating and managing the program’s individual components
Program Manager
The person authorized by the performing organization to lead the team or teams responsible for achieving program objectives
Progressive Elaboration
The iterative process of increasing the level of detail in a project management plan as greater amounts of information and more accurate estimates become available
Project
A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result
Project Budget
The sum of work package cost estimates, contingency reserve, and management reserve
Project Calendar
A calendar that identifies working days and shifts that are available for scheduled activities
Project Charter
A document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities
Projectized Organization
An organizational structure in which the project manager has full authority to assign work and apply resources
Project Life Cycle
The series of phases that a project passes through from its start to its completion
Project Management
The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements
Project Management Office
A management structure that standardizes the project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques
Project Management Plan
The document that describes how the project will be executed, monitored and controlled, and closed
Project Manager
The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives
Project Phase
A collection of logically related project activities that culminates in the completion of one or more deliverables
Project Schedule
An output of a schedule model that presents linked activities with planned dates, durations, milestones, and resources
Project Schedule Network Diagram
A graphical representation of the logical relationships among the project schedule activities
Project Scope
The work performed to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified features and functions
Project Scope Statement
The description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints
Quality Management Plan
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how an organization’s policies, procedures, and guidelines will be implemented to achieve the quality objectives
Requirements Management Plan
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how requirements will be analyzed, documented, and managed
Requirements Traceability Matrix
A grid that links product requirements from their origin to the deliverables that satisfy them
Residual Risk
The risk that remains after risk responses have been implemented
Resource Breakdown Structure
A hierarchical representation of resources by category and type
Resource Calendar
A calendar that identifies the working days and shifts upon which each specific resource is available
Resource Leveling
A resource optimization technique in which adjustments are made to the project schedule to optimize the allocation of resources and which may affect critical path
Resource Management Plan
A component of the project management plan that describes how project resources are acquired, allocated, monitored, and controlled
Resource Optimization Technique
A technique in which activity start and finish dates are adjusted to balance demand for resources with the available supply
Resource Smoothing
A resource optimization technique in which free and total float are used without affecting the crtiical path
Responsibility Assignment Matrix
A grid that shows the project resources assigned to each work package
Risk
An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on one or more project objectives
Risk Acceptance
A risk response strategy whereby the project team decides to acknowledge the risk and not take any action unless the risk occurs
Risk Appetite
The degree of uncertainty an organization or individual is willing to accept in anticipation of a reward
Risk Avoidance
A risk response strategy whereby the project team acts to eliminate the threat or protect the project from its impact
Risk Breakdown Structure
A hierarchical representation of potential sources of risk
Risk Category
A group of potential causes of risk
Risk Enhancement
A risk repsponse strategy whereby the project team acts to increase the probability of occurrence or impact of an opportunity
Risk Exploiting
A risk response strategy whereby the project team acts to ensure that an opportunity occurs
Risk Exposure
An aggregate measure of the potential impact of all risks at any given point in time in a project, program, or portfolio
Risk Management Plan
A component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how risk management activities will be structured and performed
Risk Mitigation
A risk response strategy whereby the project team acts to decrease the probability of occurrence or impact of a threat
Risk Owner
The person responsible for monitoring the risk and for selecting and implementing an appropriate risk response strategy
Risk Register
A repository in which outputs of risk management processes are recorded
Risk Sharing
A risk response strategy whereby the project team allocates ownership of an opportunity to a third party who is best able to capture the benefit of that opportunity
Risk Threshold
The measure of acceptable variation around an objective that reflects the risk appetite of the organization and stakeholders
Risk Tolerance
The degree of uncertainty that an organization or individual is willing to withstand
Risk Transference
A risk response strategy whereby the project team shifts the impact of a threat to a third party, together with ownership of the response
Rolling Wave Planning
An iterative planning technique in which the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail, while the work in the future is planned at a higher level
Schedule Baseline
The approved version of a schedule model that can be changed using formal change control procedures and is used as the basis for comparison to actual results
Schedule Compression
A technique used to shorten the schedule duration without reducing the project scope
Schedule Management Plan
A component of the project or program management plan that establishes the criteria and the activities for developing, monitoring, and controlling the schedule
Schedule Model
A representation of the plan for executing the project’s activities, including durations, dependencies, and other planning information, used to produce a project schedule along with other scheduling artifacts
Schedule Model Analysis
A process used to investigate or analyze the output of the schedule model in order to optimize the schedule
Schedule Network Analysis
A technique to identify early and late start dates, as well as early and late finish dates, for the uncompleted portions of project activities
Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
A measure of schedule efficiency expressed as the ratio of earned value to planned value (EV/PV)
Schedule Variance (SV)
A measure of schedule performance expressed as the difference between the earned value and the planned value (EV - PV)
Scope Baseline
The approved version of a scope statement, work breakdown structure, and its associated WBS dictionary that can be changed using formal change control procedures and is used as the basis for comparison to actual results
Scope Creep
The uncontrolled expansion to product or project scope without adjustments to time, cost, and resources
Scope Management Plan
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how the scope will be defined, developed, monitored, controlled, and validated
S-Curve Analysis
A technique used to indicate performance trends by using a graph that displays cumulative costs over a specific time period
Secondary Risk
A risk that arises as a direct result of implementing a risk response
Sponsor
An individual or a group that provides resources and support for the project, program, or portfolio, and is accountable for enabling success
Staffing Management Plan
A component of the resource management plan that describes when and how team members will be acquired and how long they will be needed
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 Engagement Plan
A component of the project management plan that identifies the strategies and actions required to promote productive involvement of stakeholders in project or program decision making and execution
Start-to-Finish
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has started
Start-to-Start
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has started
Successor Activity
A dependent activity that logically comes after another activity in a schedule
Summary Activity
A group of related schedule activities aggregated and displayed as a single activity
Threat
A risk that would have a negative effect on one or more project objectives
Three-Point Estimating
A technique used to estimate cost or duration by applying an average or weighted average of optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely estimates when there is uncertainty with the individual activity esimates
To-Complete Performance Index (TCPI)
A measure of the cost performance that is achieved with the remaining resources in order to meet a specified management goal, expressed as the ratio of the cost to finish the outstanding work to the remaining budget
Total Float
The amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed or extended from its early start date without delaying the project finish date or violating a schedule constraint
Trigger Condition
An event or situation that indicates that a risk is about to occur
Variance Analysis
A technique for determining the cause and degree of difference between the baseline and actual performance
Variance at Completion (VAC)
A projection of the amount of budget deficit or surplus, expressed as the difference between the budget at completion and the estimate at completion (BAC - EAC)
WBS Dictionary
A document that provides detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about each component in the work breakdown structure
Weighted Milestone Method
A method of estimating earned value in which the budget value of a work package is divided into measurable segments, each ending with a milestone that is assigned a weighted budget value
What-If Scenario Analysis
The process of evaluating scenarios in order to predict their effect on project objectives
Workaround
An immediate and temporary response to an issue for which a prior response had not been planned or was not effective
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
A hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables
Work Package
The work defined at the lowest level of the work breakdown structure for which cost and duration are estimated and managed
Salience Model
A method for classifying and prioritizing stakeholders
A3
A way of thinking and a systematic problem-solving process that collects the pertinent information on a single A3-size sheet of paper
Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD)
A method of collaboratively creating acceptance test criteria that are used to create acceptance tests before delivery begins
Agile
A term used to describe a mindset of values and principles as set forth in the Agile Manifesto
Agile Coach
An individual with knowledge and experience in agile who can train, mentor, and guide organizations and teams through their transformation
Agile Life Cycle
An approach that is both iterative and incremental to refine work items and deliver frequently
Agile Manifesto
The original and official definition of agile values and principles
Agile Mindset
A way of thinking and behaving underpinned by the four values and twelve principles of the Agile Manifesto
Agile Practitioner
A person embracing the agile mindset who collaborates with like-minded colleagues in cross-functional teams.
Agile Unified Process
A simplistic and understandable approach to developing business application software using agile techniques and concepts
Anti-Pattern
A known, flawed pattern of work that is not advisable
Automated Code Quality Analysis
The scripted testing of code base for bugs and vulnerabilities
Backlog Refinement
The progressive elaboration of project requirements and/or the ongoing activity in which the team collaboratively reviews, updates, and writes requirements to satisfy the need of the customer request
Behavior-Driven Development
A system and validation practice that uses test-first principles and English-like scripts
Blended Agile
Two or more agile frameworks, methods, elements, or practices used together such as Scrum practiced in combination with XP and Kanban Method
Broken Comb
Refers to a person with various depths of specialization in multiple skills required by the team.
Burndown Chart
A graphical representation of the work remaining versus the time left in a timebox
Burnup Chart
A graphical representation of the work completed toward the release of a product
Kaizen Events
Events aimed at improvement of the system
Kanban Board
A visualization tool that enables improvements to the flow of work by making bottlenecks and work quantities visible
Mobbing
A technique in which multiple team members focus simultaneously and coordinate their contributions on a particular work item
Scrum
An agile framework for developing and sustaining complex products, with specific roles, events, and artifacts
Servant Leadership
The practice of leading through service to the team, by focusing on understanding and addressing the needs and development of team members in order to enable the highest possible team performance
