Project Schedule Management Flashcards
Activity list
Udemy- The primary output of breaking down the WBS work packages.
PMBOK- 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.
Alternative analysis
udemy- The identification of more than one solution. Consider roles, materials, tools,
and approaches to the project work.
PMBOK- 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
udemy- A somewhat unreliable estimating approach that relies on historical information to predict what current activity durations should be. Analogous estimating is more reliable, however, than team member recollections. Analogous estimating is also known as top-down estimating and is a form of expert judgment.
pmbok- A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project.
Bottom-up estimating
udemy- The most accurate time-and-cost estimating approach a project manager can use. This estimating approach starts at “the bottom” of the project and considers every activity, its predecessor and successor activities, and the exact amount of resources needed to complete each activity.
pmbok- A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower-level components of the work breakdown structure.
Control account
udemy- A WBS entry that considers the time, cost, and scope measurements for that
deliverable within the WBS. The estimated performance is compared against the actual performance to measure overall performance for the deliverables within that control account. The specifics of a control account are documented in a control account plan.
pmbok- A management control point where scope, budget, actual cost, and schedule are integrated and compared to earned value for performance.
Control threshold
A predetermined range of acceptable variances, such as +/–10 percent off schedule. Should the variance exceed the threshold, then project control processes and corrected actions will be enacted.
Crashing
udemy- A schedule compression approach that adds more resources to activities on the critical path to complete the project earlier. When crashing a project, costs are added because the associated labor and sometimes resources (such as faster equipment) cause costs to increase.
pmbok- A technique used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources.
Critical path
udemy- The path in the project network diagram that cannot be delayed, otherwise the project completion date will be late. There can be more than one critical path.
Activities in the critical path have no float.
pmbok- The sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines the shortest possible duration
Discretionary dependencies
udemy- These dependencies are the preferred order of activities. Project managers should use these relationships at their discretion and should document the logic behind the decision. Discretionary dependencies allow activities to happen in a preferred order because of best practices, conditions unique to the project
work, or external events. Also known as preferential or soft logic.
pmbok- A 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.
Early finish
Udemy- The earliest a project activity can finish. Used in the forward pass procedure to discover the critical path and the project float.
pmbok- 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
udemy- The earliest a project activity can begin. Used in the forward pass procedure to discover the critical path and the project float.
pmbok- 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.
External dependencies
udemy- As the name implies, these are dependencies outside of the project’s control. Examples include the delivery of equipment from a vendor, the deliverable
of another project, or the decision of a committee, lawsuit, or expected new law.
pmbok- A relationship between project activites and non-project activities.
Fast tracking
Udemy- A schedule compression method that changes the relationship of activities. With fast tracking, activities that would normally be done in sequence are allowed to be done in parallel or with some overlap. Fast tracking can be accomplished by hanging the relation of activities from FS to SS or even FF or by adding lead time to downstream activities. However, fast tracking does add risk to the project.
pmbok- 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 (FF)
Udemy- An activity relationship type that requires the current activity to be finished before its successor can finish.
pmbok- A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has finished.
Finish-to-start (FS)
Udemy- An activity relationship type that requires the current activity to be finished before its successor can start.
pmbok- A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has finished.
Fragnet
udemy- A representation of a project network diagram that is often used for outsourced portions of a project, repetitive work within a project, or a subproject. Also called a subnet.
Free float
udemy- This is the total time a single activity can be delayed without affecting the early start of its immediately following successor activities.
pmbok- The amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed without delying the early start date of any successor or violating a schedule constraint
Hard logic
udemy- Logic that describes activities that must happen in a particular order. For example, the dirt must be excavated before the foundation can be built. The foundation must be in place before the framing can begin. Also known as a mandatory dependency.
Internal dependencies
udemy- Internal relationships to the project or the organization. For example, the project team must create the software as part of the project’s deliverable before the
software can be tested for quality control.
pmbok- Internal dependencies involve a precedence relationship between project activities and are generally inside the project team’s control
Lag time
Positive time that moves two or more activities further apart
Late finish
udemy- The latest a project activity can finish. Used in the backward pass procedure to discover the critical path and the project float.
pmbok- 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
udemy- The latest a project activity can begin. Used in the backward pass procedure to discover the critical path and the project float.
pmbok- 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 time
udemy- Negative time that allows two or more activities to overlap where ordinarily
these activities would be sequential.
pmbok (lead) - the amount of time whereby a successor activity can be advanced with respect to a predecessor activity.
Management reserve
udemy- A percentage of the project duration to combat Parkinson’s Law. When project activities become late, their lateness is subtracted from the management
reserve.
pmbok- a specified amount of the project budget withheld for management control purposes and are reserved for unforeseen work that is within the scope of the project
Mandatory dependencies
udemy- These dependencies are the natural order of activities. For example, you can’t begin building your house until your foundation is in place. These relationships are called hard logic.
Monte Carlo analysis
Udemy- A project simulation approach named after the world-famous gambling district in Monaco. This predicts how scenarios may work out, given any number of variables he process doesn’t actually churn out a specific answer, but a range of possible answers. When Monte Carlo analysis is applied to a schedule, it can examine, for example, the optimistic completion date, the pessimistic completion date, and the most likely completion date for each activity in the project and then predict a mean for the project schedule.
pmbok- technique in which risks and other sources of uncertainty are used to calculate possible schedule outcomes for the total project.
Parametric estimate
udemy- A quantitatively based duration estimate
that uses mathematical formulas to predict how long an activity will take
based on the quantities of work to be completed.
Parkinson’s Law
A theory that states: “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” It is considered with time estimating, because bloated or padded activity estimates will fill the amount of time allotted to the activity.
Planning package
udemy- A WBS entry located below a control account and above the work packages. A planning package signifies that there is more planning that needs to be completed for this specific deliverable.
pmbok- a work breakdown structure component below the control account with known work content but without detailed schedule activities
Precedence diagramming method
udemy- A network diagram that shows activities in nodes and the relationship between each activity. Predecessors come before the current activity, and successors come after the current activity.
pmbok- 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.
Project calendars
udemy- Calendars that identify when the project work will occur.
pmbok- identifies working days and shifts that are available for scheduled activities
Project float
This is the total time the project can be delayed without passing the customer expected completion date.
Project network diagram
A diagram that visualizes the flow of the project activities and their relationships to other project activities.
Refinement
An update to the work breakdown
structure.
Resource breakdown structure (RBS)
udemy- This is a hierarchical breakdown of the project resources by category and resource type. For example, you could have a category of equipment, a category
of human resources, and a category of materials. Within each category, you could identify the types of equipment your project will use, the types of human resources, and the types of materials.
pmbok- A hierarchical representation of resources by category and type
Resource calendars
udemy- Calendars that identify when project
resources are available for the project work.
pmbok- Resource calendars contain information on the availability of resources during the project
Resource-leveling heuristic
A method to flatten the schedule when resources are overallocated. Resource
leveling can be applied using different methods to accomplish different goals. One of the most common methods is to
ensure that workers are not overextended on activities.
Rolling wave planning
udemy- The imminent work is planned in detail, while the work in the future is planned at
a high level. This is a form of progressive
elaboration.
pmbok- an iterative planning technique in which work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail, while work further in the future is planned at a higher level.
Schedule management plan
udemy- A subsidiary plan in the project
management plan. It defines how the project schedule will be created,
estimated, controlled, and managed.
pmbok- a component of the project management plan that establishes the criteria and the activites for developing, monitoring, and controlling the schedule.
Soft logic
udemy- The activities don’t necessarily have to
happen in a specific order. For example, you could install the light fixtures first, then the carpet, and then paint the room. The project manager could use soft logic to change the order of the activities if so desired.
pmbok- also referred to as discretionary dependencies.
Start-to-finish
udemy- An activity relationship that requires an activity to start so that its successor can finish. This is the most unusual of all the activity relationship types.
pmbok- a logical relationship in which a predecessor activity cannot finish until a successor activity has started. For example, a new accounts payable system (successor) has to start before the old accounts payale system can be shut down (predecessor)
start-to-start
udemy- An activity relationship type that requires the current activity to start before its
successor can start.
pmbok- a logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has started. For example, level concrete (successor) cannot begin until pour foundation (predecessor) begins.
Subnet
Udemy- A representation of a project network diagram that is often used for outsourced portions of projects, repetitive work within a project, or a subproject. Also called a fragnet.
template
udemy- A previous project that can be adapted for the current project and forms that are pre-populated with organizational-specific
information.
pmbok- A partially complete document in a predefined format that provides a defined structure for collection, organizing, and presenting information and data.
Three-point estimate
udemy- An estimating technique for each activity that requires optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic estimates to be created.
Based on these three estimates, an average can be created to predict how long the activity should take.
Total float
udemy- This is the total time an activity can be delayed without delaying project
completion.
pmbok- the amount of time that a schedule activity can be delated or extended from its early start date without delaying the project finish date or violating a scheduel constraint.
Work package
udemy- The smallest item in the work breakdown structure.
pmbok- the work defined at the lowest level of the work breakdown structure for which cost and duration are estimated and managed.
