Terms Flashcards
Accuracy
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
Assessment of correctness.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
Agile
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
An adaptive project approach that focuses on small pieces of a solution for analysis, design, development, and testing that allows for frequent, small releases of solution functionality based on feature priority.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
Analogous Estimating
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
A technique using past projects that are similar to forecast hours and/or costs. It is typically used in the early stages of a project when there may not be a great deal of information available.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
Assessment
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
A generic term to describe evaluating, analyzing, or estimating the quality or ability of someone or something.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
Three-Point Estimates
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
PERT or a simple average of three estimates (optimistic, most likely, pessimistic) can be used to provide an estimate
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
Baseline
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
An established boundary of approved requirements against which requirements changes are compared. Each time requirements are approved, they are baselined.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
Benchmarking (aka Research)
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
To compare organizational practices against the best-in-class practices that exist within competitor enterprises in government or industry.
To determine how companies achieve their superior performance levels and use that information to design projects to improve operations of the enterprise. Focused on strategies, operations, and processes.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 379
Bottom-Up Estimating
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Method of estimating duration or cost for the lowest-level components of the WBS and then aggregating or “rolling up” the individual estimates into higher levels.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Business Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
The evaluation of an organization’s needs - followed by the identification and management of requirements - to realize a solution. In short, it is the discipline of working with stakeholders to define an organization’s requirements in order to shape the output of projects and ensure that expected business benefits are delivered. Source: PMI-PBA FAQ
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Business Analyst
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
A person who conducts business analysis activities regardless of their job title or role.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Business Case
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
A document that describes the necessary information from a business standpoint to determine whether or not the project is worth the investment.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Business Opportunity
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Describes an opportunity that will add value to the business.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Business Problem
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Describes a situation that is hindering a business from achieving maximum value.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Business Requirement
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Describes the higher-level needs of the organization and provides the rationale for a new project, including business:
- Goals and objectives
- Problems to be solved
- Opportunities to be exploited
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Business Rule Catalog
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
A document containing a complete list of business rules and related attributes. The catalog can be used as reference for related requirements.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Cause and Effect Diagram (aka Fishbone or Ishikawa diagram)
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
A type of flowchart that helps organize thinking about a problem and diagnose cause and effect to discover root cause. Can be used in conjunction with the “Five Why’s” tool.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Checksheet
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Used to collect sampling results information about defects which then may be further analyzed using a Pareto diagram
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 380
Communication Plan
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
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.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
Consensus Building
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
A general term for getting a group to generally agree. Many specific techniques (further described in Decision Making) may help lead to group consensus.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
Context Diagram
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
A diagram that allows the business analyst to clearly show the boundary of the system, the users (both human and other systems), and the high-level data provided by the system and to the system. A context diagram is only a high-level view; but when supported by detailed data definitions, it is an excellent tools for communicating part of the project scope to stakeholders.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
Contingency Planning
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
The outcome of analyzing the risks to a product and the planned response if the risk becomes a reality. May also resulting schedule and budget reserves by determining the likelihood and impact of a risk occurring. The likelihood (%) is multiplied by the impact ($) to determine an appropriate reserve amount.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
Control Chart
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
A chart used to determine whether or not a process is stable or has predictable performance (typically) over time by measuring output variables representing repetitive activities. Control charts can be used for both project and product life cycle processes.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
Cost-Benefit Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
The study of the cost versus the benefits that an organization will receive for a particular solution. This is useful in selecting projects for investment that will yield the greatest financial benefit for the organization.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
CRUD Matrix
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
A matrix used to cross check the data and processes to ensure a process is in place to create, read, update, and delete every entity. The matrix helps spot gaps. Is also helpful in documenting user permissions in a system.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
Data Dictionary & Glossary
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
A document containing key items that are formally recorded to identify terminology and corresponding definitions used by the organization. Also defines the data used or needed by an organization, including both high-level and more complex data definitions.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 381
Data Modeling
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
A model representing data structures, relationships between structure, and the detailed data attributes or facts within the structures. They are used to document and communicate data requirements, typically using either an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) or Class Diagram (in UML or Unified Modeling Language).
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
Day-in-the-Life (DITL) Testing
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
Testing conducted by someone knowledgeable in the business that focuses on specific scenarios in order to verify that the expected results are realized.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
Decision Table
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
A tool used to document business rules in a tabular format with a series of decisions and the outcomes. The table provides an easy way to document all factors that may impact the processing of a decision. For examples, age, residency, and military service all are contributing factors to determine the cost of a hunting or fishing recreational license in the state of Washington. The decision table simplifies the processing of these business rules to determine the correct license price by clearly representing the effects of each pricing factor.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
Decision Tree
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
Used to document complex business rules graphically in a hierarchical structure. This may be used in conjunction with a decision table to analyze and document complex business rules. Decision trees work best when decision points have limited responses such as yes or no.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
Decomposition
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
Breaking down something that is higher-level - such as functional areas, their processes, or project deliverables - into simpler subsets for the purpose of studying or analyzing it. This technique is often presented using graphical models, such as a Work Breakdown Structure diagram.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
Delphi Technique
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
A way to gain consensus using expert opinion. Experts are asked to provide their opinions independently through a facilitator. The facilitator will coordinate anonymous feedback through a questionnaire for responses until agreement is achieved. This is commonly used for creating estimates or getting a recommendation on a decision to be made.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
Dependency Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
A technique used to identify and clearly articulate dependencies between two or more objects (e.g., requirements).
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
Dependency Graph
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
A graph that visually depicts dependencies in system requirements, functions, or componentes. There is not a single method or process for developing the graph.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 382
Design of Experiments
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Using statistical “what-if” scenarios to determine which combination of variables produce the best or desired quality outcome. Design of experiments, unlike other quality techniques, provides a tool for modifying multiple factors at the same time rather than just one at a time. It is more typically used on the product of the project than the project itself.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Desk Checking
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
This is where the person who creates the deliverables reviews their own work prior to presenting it for formal quality control review.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Document Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
To elicit requirements by studying available documentation on existing and comparable solutions, and identifying relevant information.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Estimation Poker (aka Planning Poker)
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
A technique primarily used by agile teams to estimate the effort for each user story. User stories are estimates in relation to each other and not assigned a time estimate. T-shirt sizing (S, M, L, and XL) or Fibonacci sequence (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 13, and 20) are typical estimation values used.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Evaluation Criteria (aka Acceptance & Evaluation Criteria)
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Defined criteria that will be used for determining when a requirement, feature, or solution is acceptable for use.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Events
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
The process of analyzing business events in order to determine organizational responses needed to support the business. Events may be:
- External
- Internal
- Time-based
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Exploratory Testing
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Testing conducted by someone knowledgeable of the business and without a script. This provides testing of some “out of the box” scenarios for expanded test coverage. This supplements formal testing methods, but should not be done in place of them.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Facilitated Workshops
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
A structured way to capture requirements. A workshop may be used to scope, discover, defines, prioritize, and reach closure on requirements for the target system.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Feasibility Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
An initial study to develop a recommendation on if a solution is viable to accomplish a desired outcome, whether it’s to solve a problem or seize an opportunity. May be used to compare multiple options to determine the most feasible.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 383
Five Whys
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
A technique where the analyst asks, “why is the problem occurring?” up to five times to get to the root cause.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Flowcharts
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Graphically depict how the process flows from beginning to end to illustrate how components of the system are related. Flowcharting also helps to analyze how problems occur and highlights.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Force Field Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Analyzes the forces for and against a change, to help form a decision and communicate the reasoning behind the decision.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Gap Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
A technique that businesses use to determine what steps need to be taken in order to move from its current state to its desired, future state. Also called needs-gap analysis, needs analysis, and needs assessment.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Given-Then-When
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
A tool used to articulate acceptance criteria. Statements are produced with:
- Given (some context)
- When (some action is carried out)
- Then (a particular set of observable consequences should obtain)
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Goal
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
An observable and measurable end result having one or more objectives to be achieved within a more or less fixed timeframe.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Grade
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
In quality, category or rank used to distinguish items that have the same functional use but do not share the same quality requirements.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Histograms
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Bar charts showing how often something occurs.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Impact Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Analysis of potential requirements or requirements changes to determine impacts to other requirements, the product, or the project.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Incremental
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
A hybrid of predictive and adaptive project approaches where a solution is developed and features released in increments or phases.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 384
Inspection
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Examination or measurement of a deliverable in order to verify it meets requirements specifications.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Integration Testing
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Testing conducted to ensure that requirements for the complete business processes have been satisfied. This testing focuses on the end-to-end business and includes all of the systems and interaction points within scope of the solution.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Interoperability
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Analysis to understand how applications communicate and collaborate with each other to complete a workflow or process.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Interview
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
A systematic approach designed to elicit information from a person or group of people in an informal or formal setting by talking to a interviewee, asking relevant questions, and documenting the responses.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Iterative
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
A common agile approach where release cycles are time-boxed in small time frames. Each iteration may introduce new feature, rework of previously released features, or a combination of both.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Job Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Review of job information for potential stakeholders in order to understand how the stakeholder roles and responsibilities fit within the organization in order to develop stakeholder management plans.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Metrics that are defined to be used in evaluating progress towards meeting objectives or goals. A metric is a quantifiable level of an indicator that an organization uses to measure progress at a specific point in tome (e.g., sales in January). An indicator identifies a specific numerical measurement (sales) that represents the degree of progress toward achieving a goal (industry leader).
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Lean
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
A project approach that seeks to optimize efficiency by eliminating waste from activities and operations.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Lessons Learned
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Documenting knowledge gained during a project by facilitating team discussion of project successes, opportunities for improvement, failures, and recommendations for improving the performance of future projects or project phases.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 385
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
“A Theory of Human Motivation” describes Abraham Maslow’s ideas on human motivations a hierarchy of needs. We are motivated to seek the next level of satisfaction once each level of the hierarchy has been met.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
MoSCoW
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
A prioritization technique used to rate requirements or features using ratings of “must have”, “should have”, “could have”, and “won’t have” as it relates to project or release scope.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Multi-Voting
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
A prioritization technique where participants are given multiple votes for a variety of options on a specific issue. Participants may use one vote per option or multiple votes for a single item for added weight.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Nominal Group Technique
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
A process that includes brainstorming to generate ideas. Voting or multi-voting is then used to rank the ideas in order to identify the most desirable options.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Nonfunctional Requirements
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Describe the required qualities of a system, such as its usability and performance characteristics. Important to user and development community.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Objective
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Something to which work is to be directed in order for a strategic position to be attained, a purpose to be achieved, a result to be obtained, a product to be produced, or a service to be performed.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Observation
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
A means of eliciting requirements by observing stakeholders completing activities within their work environment.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Opportunity Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Analysis of a potential opportunity to fully understand the feasibility and potential benefit.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Options Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Analyzing various options to understand the benefits, risks, and consequences of each in order to make a selection that will bring the greatest value to the project. This relates to multi-criteria decision analysis.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Organizational Chart
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Describes the roles, responsibilities and reporting structures that exist within an organization and to align those structures with the organization’s goals.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 386
Organizational Readiness
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
Analyzing the organization’s readiness to accept and use a new solution. This goes beyond the technical implementation to the acceptance of the solution and organization preparedness to use it effectively.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
Parametric Estimating
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
The use of historical data in formulas or algorithms to extrapolate an estimate for a small amount of work to a large amount of work. For example, if one activity (or series of activities) can be estimated in detail, an algorithm can be developed to determine the total effort for all work involving that activity or series of activities. It’s basically using mathematical models to predict time or cost.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
Pareto Charts
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
The Parto chart shows how many results were generated by type or category of identified cause. It identifies the “vital few” causes of most quality problems. If those few problems are eliminated, about 75-80 percent of the problems will be eliminated. For example, if most of the problems in the Call Center are due to network issues, resolving those issues will eliminate most of the calls.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
Peer Review
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
A review process (either formal or informal) involving peers of the author or creator of the work being inspected in order to verify and improve upon quality.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
Personas
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
A tool used to understand the different user groups of a potential solution by assigning each role a “persona”. The persona tells a story about the users of that class including information such as goals, behaviors, motivations, environment, demographics, and skills.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
Planguage
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
A set of closely defined identifiers (tags) to describe and quantify specific elements of the requirements.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
Precedence Diagramming Method
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
A technique used to construct a schedule model in which activities are represented by nodes and graphically linked by one or more logical relationships to show the sequence in which the activities are to be performed.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
Precision
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
A mesure of exactness. May not be accurate but can still be precise.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 387
Process Modeling
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
A technique for visually documenting work performed in an organization, including who does it and how they collaborate. Useful for many aspects of business analysis.
Types of process models:
- Process map
- Swimlane
- Activity diagram
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Product Backlog
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
A stack ranked prioritized list of user stories used to allocate work to iterations in agile projects.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Progressive Elaboration
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
The process of analyzing a high-level requirement, feature, or estimate to decompose and document additional detail. In business analysis, it includes defining requirements and product details at a high level and continuing to refine the details to a lower, more refined level.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Project Requirement
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Describes actions, processes, or other conditions the project needs to meet.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Prototyping
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Developing a working model of a product before actually building it in order to get feedback. Prototypes are often used for detailing user interface requirements.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Purpose Alignment Model
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
A method for aligning business decisions, processes, and feature designs around purpose.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Quadrant Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
A generic analysis tool where factors are measured on two axes to determine a “quadrant”for classification. Examples include the Power/Interest grid in stakeholder management or Likelihood/Penalty of defects when determining if a solutions “fit for use”.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Quality
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
The degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfill requirements.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Quality Requirement
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Conditions or criteria needed to validate the successful completion of a project deliverable.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Reporting Tools and Techniques
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Tools and techniques used to track and report project or activity status, and progress.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 388
Requirement
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
“A condition or capability that is necessary to be present in a product, service, or result to satisfy a business need.” The PMI Guide to Business Analysis
“A condition or capability that is required to be present in a product, service, or result to satisfy a contract or other formally imposed specification.” The BA Practice Guide
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
Requirements Baseline
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
The list of requirements that have been formally approved for continued work. Any changes to the Requirements Baseline will require formal approval through the change control process.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
Requirements Management Plan
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
A component of the project or program management plan that describes how requirements will be analyzed, documented, and managed.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
Requirements Management System
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
A tool that supports collecting, analyzing, managing, and communicating requirements through a relational database.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
Requirements Traceability Matrix
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
A matrix used to trace requirements up to the supporting project and business goals of the organization and then down to the work product of the project team needed to satisfy the requirements. The matrix includes additional attributes useful to tracking and managing each requirement.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
Retrospectives
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
A review process typically used in agile projects to review each iteration. Team members meet to identify and discuss the results of the latest iteration, what is working well, and identify opportunities and actions for improvement.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
Risk Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
The process of examining a program, project, or process for risk. Risks may be negative or positive.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
Scatter Diagrams
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
Shows relationship or correlation between independent (“X” axis) and dependent (“Y” axis) variables. Independent variables are also known as “inputs” or “potential causes”. Dependent variables are also known as “outputs” or “effects”.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
Scenario Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
Analysis of how the system will be used, and the interactions between users and the system for various situations, Scenario analysis works to capture when variations to the most common situation occur in order to better understand requirements for all scenarios.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 389
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
An agreement detailing the nature, quality, and scope of service to be provided.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Skills Assessment
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
A study of the skills and competencies of project stakeholders to allow for stakeholder management plans that leverage strengths and can accommodate weaknesses.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Solution Requirement
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Requirements that the solution must satisfy . including functional (behaviors of the product) and nonfunctional (environmental conditions) requirements.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Solution Scope
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Describes major features and functions included in the solution and the interactions it will have with people and systems outside its scope.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Solution Scope Statement
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
A description of the solution scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Stakeholder Register
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
A document containing information on all identified stakeholders in order. The register includes information that is helpful in determining a stakeholder management strategy and notes on activities relating to the strategy.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Stakeholder Requirement
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
States needs of stakeholders, specifically how stakeholders or classes of stakeholders will interact with a solution.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
State Diagrams and Tables
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Either a tabular or viruela specification of a sequence of states that an object goes through during its lifetime. Events that cause a transition between those states are also defined. For example, a “PMI-PBA applicant” moves to a state of “PMI-PBA recipient” once they have completed the transition of passing the credential examination.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Statement of Work (SOW)
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Narrative description of products, services, or results to be delivered that includes:
- Business Need
- Product Scope Description
- Strategic Plan
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Statistical Sampling
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
A technique where a small number of items representing a sample of the entire quantity are chosen for inspection. This is used to reduce the cost of quality rather than inspecting every item.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 390
Storyboarding
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
A prototyping technique using images and illustrations to show the sequence or navigation through a series of events. In softw3are development, storyboards show navigation paths through webpages, screens, or interfaces. They are typically low-tech and disposable, and are intended to illustrate the experience rather than the look and feel of the system or product.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
Strategic
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
Used during planning to describe long-term plans or goals of what the organization or project strives to accomplish.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
Survey/Questionnaire
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
A means of eliciting information from many people, sometimes anonymously, in a relatively short period of time by preparing and sending a set list of questions for response.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
SWOT Analysis
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relating to a specific organization, project, or solution option.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
Tactical
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
Used in planning to describe the short-term plans or goals that support organization or project strategy. This tends to demonstrate “the how” of how strategies will be achieved.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
Test
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
The examination of a work product or deliverable in order to determine the level of quality.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
Time-Boxing
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
A prioritization method where stakeholders are provided estimates for implementing requirements (or features) and the time available. Stakeholders then select which requirements they choose to include in the “time-box”. Time-boxing can be adapted to apply a fixed cost (budget) where stakeholders buy requirements (or features) based on cost and budget available. Play money or poker chips can be used to facilitate prioritization.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
Transition Requirement
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
Temporary capabilities, such as data conversion and training requirements, needed to transition from the “as is” to the “to be” state.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
Tuckman Model (Stages of Team Development)
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
A model of the stages of team development created by Bruce Tuckman. The stages are Form, Storm, Norm, Perform, Adjourn (mourn).
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 391
Use Case Diagram
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
A diagram used to summarize the scope of a solution by illustrating which use cases are in scope and which are out of scope for the system. It identifies the use cases and the actors who directly interact with the solution.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
Use Cases
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
A textual model detailing the interactions between system users (actors) and the solution undergoing development. Each use case focuses on a single user goal (process). Boundaries for the process are stated using pre-conditions and post-conditions. The detailed interaction between the actor and system is described for the normal course of events and extending to alternative or exception paths. Detailing theses interactions is useful to uncovering solution functional requirements.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
User Acceptance Testing
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
Testing conducted by future end users of a solution at the direction of the project business analysis and quality professionals in order to gain user acceptance that the solution is ready for implementation. Testing is often scripted and observed by the project BA and/or quality teams to ensure full coverage and to observe questions and issues firsthand.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
User Journey Map
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
Documents the customer experience from the users’ perspective to understand not only how users interact with the solution, but can also identify improvement opportunities.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
User Story
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
A brief description of functionality that users need from a solution to meet a business objective. The user’s story is stated with the specific format of “as a <actor>, I want to <function>, so that I can <benefit>". These serve as stakeholder requirements on adaptive projects.</benefit></function></actor>
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
Value Engineering
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
An approach used to optimize project life cycle costs, save time, increase profits, improve quality, expand market share, solve problems, and/or use resources more effectively.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
Value Proposition
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
An analysis of the value an organization can expect to achieve as a result of the recommended solution. This is typically stated from the perspective of the customer.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
Value Stream Mapping
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
A lean-management method for analyzing the current state and designing a future state for the series of events which take a product or service from its beginning through to the customer. This is analyzed to identify opportunities for improvement and then used to develop a “future state” map.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
Waterfall
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
A predictive development/project approach where full planning and analysis is conducted early in the project life cycle, prior to any development.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 392
Weighted Criteria
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 393
An objective method of ranking or prioritizing options. Once options are defined, then criteria for evaluating them are defined and weighted (given a value) for relative importance. Options are then scored against each criterion and the score is multiplied by the weight of the criterion. Scores for each option are totaled, resulting in weighted criteria.
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 393
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 393
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. The WBS provides a graphical view of work that has been decomposed (see decomposition).
E. Larson, A. Brockmeier & R. Larson, PMI-PBA Certification Study Guide, 2018, Page 393
