Term
|
Definition
| This response is acceptable for both positive and negative risk events. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A set of conditions that is required to be met before deliverables are accepted. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Products, results, or capabilities produced by a project and validated by the project customer or sponsors as meeting their specified acceptance criteria. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Within the quality management system, accuracy is an assessment of correctness. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A receipt of the message, but not necessarily agreement with the message. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of confirming human resource availability and obtaining the team necessary to complete project activities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Obtaining human and material resources necessary to perform project activities. Acquisition implies a cost of resources, and is not necessarily financial. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Multiple attributes associated with each schedule activity that can be included within the activity list. Activity attributes include activity codes, predecessor activities, successor activities, logical relationships, leads and lags, resource requirements, imposed dates, constraints, and assumptions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| One or more numerical or text values that identify characteristics of the work or in some way categorize the schedule activity that allows filtering and ordering of activities within reports. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The projected cost of the schedule activity that includes the cost for all resources required to perform and complete the activity, including all cost types and cost components. |
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Term
| Activity Duration Estimate |
|
Definition
| A quantitative assessment of the likely amount or outcome for the duration of an activity. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The time in calendar units between the start and finish of a schedule activity. See also duration. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A short, unique numeric or text identification assigned to each schedule activity to differentiate that project activity from other activities. Typically unique within any one project schedule network diagram. |
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Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
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Term
| Activity Network Diagrams |
|
Definition
| See project schedule network diagram. |
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|
Term
| Activity Resource Requirements |
|
Definition
| The types and quantities of resources required for each activity in a work package. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A distinct, scheduled portion of work performed during the course of a project. |
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Term
|
Definition
| See precedence diagramming method (PDM). |
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Term
|
Definition
| The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time period. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The time in calendar units between the actual start date of the schedule activity and either the data date of the project schedule if the schedule activity is in progress or the actual finish date if the schedule activity is complete. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A project life cycle, also known as change-driven or agile methods, that is intended to facilitate change and require a high degree of ongoing stakeholder involvement. Adaptive life cycles are also iterative and incremental, but differ in that iterations are very rapid (usually 2–4 weeks in length) and are fixed in time and resources. |
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Term
| Additional Quality Planning Tools |
|
Definition
| A set of tools used to define the quality requirements and to plan effective quality management activities. They include, but are not limited to: brainstorming, force field analysis, nominal group techniques and quality management and control tools. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A technique used to find ways to bring project activities that are behind into alignment with plan during project execution. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The formal documentation and sign-off from the stake-holders that the project is complete. This process also readies the project deliverable for the program so that the program may begin using the project’s deliverables and benefits. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of calling public attention to a project or effort. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A group creativity technique that allows large numbers of ideas to be classified into groups for review and analysis. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any document or communication that defines the initial intentions of a project. This can take the form of a contract, memorandum of understanding (MOU), letters of agreement, verbal agreements, email, etc. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A technique used to evaluate identified options in order to select which options or approaches to use to execute and perform the work of the project. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A technique used to develop as many potential options as possible in order to identify different approaches to execute and perform the work of the project. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Various techniques used to evaluate, analyze, or forecast potential outcomes based on possible variations of project or environmental variables and their relationships with other variables. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A category of projects that have common components significant in such projects, but are not needed or present in all projects. Application areas are usually defined in terms of either the product (i.e., by similar technologies or production methods) or the type of customer (i.e., internal versus external, government versus commercial) or industry sector (i.e., utilities, automotive, aerospace, information technologies, etc.). Application areas can overlap. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A review of the accuracy of the reported education and program management experience the PgMP applicant has reported to PMI. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A technique that is used to adjust the amount of time between predecessor and successor activities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An activity where effort is allotted proportionately across certain discrete efforts and not divisible into discrete efforts. [Note: Apportioned effort is one of three earned valuemanagement (EVM) types of activities used to measure work performance.] |
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Term
|
Definition
| A change request that has been processed through the integrated change control process and approved. |
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|
Term
| Approved Change Requests Review |
|
Definition
| A review of the change requests to verify that these were implemented as approved. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A factor in the planning process that is considered to be true, real, or certain, without proof or demonstration. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A technique that explores the accuracy of assumptions and identifies risks to the project from inaccuracy, inconsistency, or incompleteness of assumptions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Method of measuring quality that consists of noting the presence (or absence) of some characteristic (attribute) in each of the units under consideration. After each unit is inspected, the decision is made to accept a lot, reject it, or inspect another unit. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The right to apply project resources, expend funds, make decisions, or give approvals. |
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|
Term
| authorization to test letter |
|
Definition
| A letter from PMI to the PgMP candidate with the Prometric testing center information, instructions for scheduling an examination, and approval of the PgMP candidate’s application for certification. |
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|
Term
| authorize projects process |
|
Definition
| The initiating process that allows the project manager to authorize component projects within the program. This process may be done at any time during the program expect during the closing phase of the program. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any actions that you take to avoid a risk event. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A listing of product requirements and deliverables to be completed, written as stories, and prioritized by the business to manage and organize the project's work. |
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Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A graphic display of schedule-related information. In the typical bar chart, schedule activities or work breakdown structure components are listed down the left side of the chart, dates are shown across the top, and activity durations are shown as date-placed horizontal bars. See also Gantt chart. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Anything that prevents communication is a barrier. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The approved version of a work product that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Supporting documentation outlining the details used in establishing project estimates such as assumptions, constraints, level of detail, ranges, and confidence levels. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Benchmarking is the comparison of actual or planned practices, such as processes and operations, to those of comparable organizations to identify best practices, generate ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for measuring performance. |
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|
Term
| benefit measurement methods |
|
Definition
| Approaches to measure, compare, and contrast the expected benefits of projects that may be chartered and included in a program. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A program setup process that derives and prioritizes program benefit components and establishes benefit metrics. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A program management and technical infrastructure phase process that creates a benefits realization plan, establishes benefits monitoring, and maps the expected benefits into the program plan. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A process found in the delivering the incremental benefits program phase. This process includes the monitoring of the program components, the maintenance of the benefits register, and the reporting of the benefits as they come into program fruition. |
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Term
| benefits realization plan |
|
Definition
| Defines the program’s expected benefits; created during the early stages of program, it defines program success factors for the program manager and its stakeholders. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A program closure process that consolidates the benefits the program has created and then transfers the realized benefits into ongoing operations. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The sum of the planning, tools, techniques, and overall management of the activities that define, create, maximize, and sustain the benefits created by the program. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Defines the definition, creation, and management of the benefits the program will create. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The meetings with prospective sellers prior to the preparation of a bid or proposal to ensure all prospective vendors have a clear and common understanding of the procurement. Also known as contractor conferences, vendor conferences, or pre-bid conferences. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower-level components of the work breakdown structure (WBS). |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A general data gathering and creativity technique that can be used to identify risks, ideas, or solutions to issues by using a group of team members or subject matter experts. |
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|
Term
| Budget at Completion (BAC) |
|
Definition
| The sum of all budgets established for the work to be performed. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Usually created when the scope statement has been fully developed and approved. Sometimes called a top-down estimate, because its cost may be based on similar programs to predict what the current program is likely to cost. The range of variance on this estimate type is –10% to +25% of the predicted costs. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The approved estimate for the project or any work breakdown structure component or any schedule activity. |
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Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A documented economic feasibility study used to establish validity of the benefits of a selected component lacking sufficient definition and that is used as a basis for the authorization of further project management activities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| These risk events can have a positive or negative effect on the program, depending on their outcome. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A concept that is unique to each organization and includes tangible and intangible elements. Through the effective use of project, program, and portfolio managementdisciplines, organizations will possess the ability to employ reliable, established processes to meet enterprise objectives and obtain greater business value from their investments. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The acquirer of products, services, or results for an organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A decomposition technique that helps trace an undesirable effect back to its root cause. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A property of the central limit theorem predicting that the data observations in a distribution will tend to group around a central location. The three typical measures of central tendency are the mean, median, and mode. |
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|
Term
| certificate of program completion |
|
Definition
| This document details the deliverables of the program, its projects, and the success or failure of the program’s objectives. |
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|
Term
| Change Control Board (CCB) |
|
Definition
| A formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes to the project, and for recording and communicating such decisions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A set of procedures that describes how modifications to the project deliverables and documentation are managed and controlled. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Manual or automated tools to assist with change and/or configuration management. At a minimum, the tools should support the activities of the CCB. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines associated with the project are identified, documented, approved, or rejected. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A comprehensive list of changes made during the project. This typically includes dates of the change and impacts in terms of time, cost, and risk. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A formal proposal to modify any document, deliverable, or baseline. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The change control processes and the change control process interactions with program stakeholders. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A technique for systematically reviewing materials using a list for accuracy and completeness. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A tally sheet that can be used as a checklist when gathering data. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A request, demand, or assertion of rights by a seller against a buyer, or vice versa, for consideration, compensation, or payment under the terms of a legally binding contract, such as for a disputed change. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of processing, adjudicating, and communicating contract claims. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of completing each project procurement. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of finalizing all activities across all of the Project Management Process Groups to formally complete a project or phase. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The formal acceptance of the program’s outcome. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Project contracts or other procurement agreements that have been formally acknowledged by the proper authorizing agent as being finalized and signed off. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The final program management process group that officially closes the program’s component projects, releases the organizational resources, and also closes the programcontracts. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A program management process group that uses select processes, inputs, tools, and techniques to create outputs that lead to the closure of the entire program, programprojects, or portions of the program as needed. |
|
|
Term
| closing the program phase |
|
Definition
| The program moves through its closure and documentation of its successes and failures. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The final report on the program’s health and completion. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A numbering system used to uniquely identify each component of the work breakdown structure (WBS). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of determining, documenting, and managing stakeholder needs and requirements to meet project objectives. |
|
|
Term
| collective bargaining agreement |
|
Definition
| A constraint the project and program must follow when it works with union stakeholders. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An organizational placement strategy where the project team members are physically located close to one another in order to improve communication, working relationships, and productivity. |
|
|
Term
| communication channels formula |
|
Definition
| N(N – 1)/2, where N represents the number of stakeholders; the result of the equation reveals the number of communication channels in a program. |
|
|
Term
| Communication Constraints |
|
Definition
| Restrictions on the content, timing, audience, or individual who will deliver a communication usually stemming from specific legislation or regulation, technology, or organizational policies. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A systematic procedure, technique, or process used to transfer information among project stakeholders. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A description, analogy or schematic used to represent how the communication process will be performed for the project. |
|
|
Term
| Communication Requirements Analysis |
|
Definition
| An analytical technique to determine the information needs of the project stakeholders through interviews, workshops, study of lessons learned from previous projects, etc. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Specific tools, systems, computer programs, etc., used to transfer information among project stakeholders. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A monitoring and controlling process to manage program communication among the program stakeholders. |
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|
Term
| communications management plan |
|
Definition
| Identifies the program stakeholders, provides the information they’ll need to participate in the program, and defines the expected modality of the communication. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A general concept of conforming to a rule, standard, law, or requirement such that the assessment of compliance results in a binomial result stated as "compliant" or "noncompliant." |
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Term
|
Definition
| The program process to close a project within a program or to close a non-project activity within the program. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of obtaining seller responses, selecting a seller, and awarding a contract. |
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|
Term
| Configuration Management System |
|
Definition
| A subsystem of the overall project management system. It is a collection of formal documented procedures used to apply technical and administrative direction and surveillance to: identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of a product, result, service, or component; control any changes to such characteristics; record and report each change and its implementation status; and support the audit of the products, results, or components to verify conformance to requirements. It includes the documentation, tracking systems, and defined approval levels necessary for authorizing and controlling changes. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Handling, controlling, and guiding a conflictual situation to achieve a resolution. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In the cost of quality framework, conformance work is done to compensate for imperfections that prevent organizations from completing planned activities correctly as essential first-time work. Conformance work consists of actions that are related to prevention and inspection. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Within the quality management system, conformance is a general concept of delivering results that fall within the limits that define acceptable variation for a quality requirement. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A temporary undertaking to create a unique product or service for the program in which the project resides. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A project selection method that uses mathematical models to determine the best, worst, and/or most likely outcome of proposed project. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A limiting factor that affects the execution of a project, program, portfolio, or process. |
|
|
Term
| consumer and environmental groups |
|
Definition
| These entities can also be considered stakeholders if their interests are affected, or perceived to be affected, by the outcome of your program. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A visual depiction of the product scope showing a business system (process, equipment, computer system, etc.), and how people and other systems (actors) interact with it. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Budget within the cost baseline or performance measurement baseline that is allocated for identified risks that are accepted and for which contingent or mitigating responses are developed. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An event or occurrence that could affect the execution of the project that may be accounted for with a reserve. |
|
|
Term
| Contingent Response Strategies |
|
Definition
| Responses provided which may be used in the event that a specific trigger occurs. |
|
|
Term
| continuing certification requirements |
|
Definition
| PgMPs are required to earn 60 professional development units (PDUs) per three-year certification cycle. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A legally binding agreement between two or more parties. |
|
|
Term
| Contract Change Control System |
|
Definition
| The system used to collect, track, adjudicate, and communicate changes to a contract. |
|
|
Term
| contract statement of work |
|
Definition
| Describes the requirements for acceptance, quality expectations, delivery requirements, scheduling demands, and characteristics of the program you want the vendor to adhere to. |
|
|
Term
| contract termination documentation |
|
Definition
| The formal documentation of why a contract has been terminated before it was originally scheduled to end. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A contract is a mutually binding agreement that obligates the seller to provide the specified product or service or result and obligates the buyer to pay for it. |
|
|
Term
| contracts management plan |
|
Definition
| Defines the details of the contracts that will be utilized. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A management control point where scope, budget, actual cost, and schedule are integrated and compared to earned value for performance measurement. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A graphic display of process data over time and against established control limits, which has a centerline that assists in detecting a trend of plotted values toward either control limit. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of monitoring and controlling communications throughout the entire project life cycle to ensure the information needs of the project stakeholders are met. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of monitoring the status of the project to update the project costs and managing changes to the cost baseline. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The area composed of three standard deviations on either side of the centerline or mean of a normal distribution of data plotted on a control chart, which reflects the expected variation in the data. See also specification limits. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of managing procurement relationships, monitoring contract performance, and making changes and corrections as appropriate. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of monitoring and recording results of executing the quality activities to assess performance and recommend necessary changes. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of implementing risk response plans, tracking identified risks, monitoring residual risks, identifying new risks, and evaluating risk process effectiveness throughout the project. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of monitoring the status of project activities to update project progress and manage changes to the schedule baseline to achieve the plan. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of monitoring the status of the project and product scope and managing changes to the scope baseline. |
|
|
Term
| Control Stakeholder Engagement |
|
Definition
| The process of monitoring overall project stakeholder relationships and adjusting strategies and plans for engaging stakeholders. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Comparing actual performance with planned performance, analyzing variances, assessing trends to effect process improvements, evaluating possible alternatives, and recommending appropriate corrective action as needed. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A program management process group that uses select processes, inputs, tools, and techniques to create outputs to monitor and control varying aspects of the program and its constituent components. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An intentional activity that realigns the performance of the project work with the project management plan. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Summing the lower-level cost estimates associated with the various work packages for a given level within the project's WBS or for a given cost control account. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The approved version of the time-phased project budget, excluding any management reserves, which can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to actual results. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of creating budgets for the entire program, including the constituent projects, non-project activities that are still required to complete the program, and considerations for budget constraints. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A monitoring and controlling process to monitor, control, approve, decline, and respond to changes to the program costs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of aggregating the costs of the program to determine how much the program should cost. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A method of determining the costs incurred to ensure quality. Prevention and appraisal costs (cost of conformance) include costs for quality planning, quality control (QC), and quality assurance to ensure compliance to requirements (i.e., training, QC systems, etc.). Failure costs (cost of nonconformance) include costs to rework products, components, or processes that are non-compliant, costs of warranty work and waste, and loss of reputation. |
|
|
Term
| Cost Performance Index (CPI) |
|
Definition
| A measure of the cost efficiency of budgeted resources expressed as the ratio of earned value to actual cost. |
|
|
Term
| Cost Plus Award Fee Contracts (CPAF) |
|
Definition
| A category of contract that involves payments to the seller for all legitimate actual costs incurred for completed work, plus an award fee representing seller profit. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A contract that defines the actual costs plus a fixed profit margin for the seller. |
|
|
Term
| Cost Plus Fixed Fee Contract (CPFF) |
|
Definition
| A type of cost-reimbursable contract where the buyer reimburses the seller for the seller's allowable costs (allowable costs are defined by the contract) plus a fixed amount of profit (fee). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A contract that defines the actual costs plus profit margin for a seller for reaching a predefined goal, such as completing the work early or coming in under budget. |
|
|
Term
| Cost Plus Incentive Fee Contract (CPIF) |
|
Definition
| A type of cost-reimbursable contract where the buyer reimburses the seller for the seller's allowable costs (allowable costs are defined by the contract), and the seller earns its profit if it meets defined performance criteria. |
|
|
Term
| Cost Plus Percentage of Cost |
|
Definition
| A contract that defines the actual costs plus a percentage profit margin for the seller. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A component of a project or program management plan that describes how costs will be planned, structured, and controlled. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A financial analysis tool used to determine the benefits provided by a project against its costs. |
|
|
Term
| Cost-Reimbursable Contract |
|
Definition
| A type of contract involving payment to the seller for the seller's actual costs, plus a fee typically representing seller's profit. Cost-reimbursable contracts often include incentive clauses where, if the seller meets or exceeds selected project objectives, such as schedule targets or total cost, then the seller receives from the buyer an incentive or bonus payment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Labor is added to the project work in an attempt to complete the project work faster; often adds costs to the program. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of subdividing project deliverables and project work into smaller, more manageable components. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Standards, rules, or tests on which a judgment or decision can be based or by which a product, service, result, or process can be evaluated. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A schedule method that allows the project team to place buffers on any project schedule path to account for limited resources and project uncertainties. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Any activity on the critical path in a project schedule. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines the shortest possible duration. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Within the quality management system, a state of fulfillment in which the needs of a customer are met or exceeded for the customer's expected experiences as assessed by the customer at the moment of evaluation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Customer is the person(s) or organization(s) that will pay for the project's product, service, or result. Customers can be internal or external to the performing organization. The entity that gets the benefits the program creates. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A point in time when the status of the project is recorded. |
|
|
Term
| Data Gathering and Representation Techniques |
|
Definition
| Techniques used to collect, organize, and present data and information. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A diagramming and calculation technique for evaluating the implications of a chain of multiple options in the presence of uncertainty. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The device that decodes the message into a usable format in the communication model; think of a receiver’s fax machine. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A technique used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Confirming that the defect has been repaired and that the result is in alignment with the program scope. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An imperfection or deficiency in a project component where that component does not meet its requirements or specifications and needs to be either repaired or replaced. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of identifying and documenting the specific actions to be performed to produce the project deliverables. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of developing a detailed description of the project and product. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A program management process that uses select processes, inputs, tools, and techniques to create outputs to define the goals, vision, and business objectives of the entireprogram. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The most accurate estimate type but also the longest to create, because you must have the PWBS created to account for the costs of each program package. The range of variance for this estimate type is –5% to +10% of the predicted costs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service that is required to be produced to complete a process, phase, or project. |
|
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Term
| delivering the incremental benefits phase |
|
Definition
| The program’s projects are initiated and the project managers and their project teams go about creating the incremental benefits for the goal of the program. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An information gathering technique used as a way to reach a consensus of experts on a subject. Experts on the subject participate in this technique anonymously. A facilitator uses a questionnaire to solicit ideas about the important project points related to the subject. The responses are summarized and are then recirculated to the experts for further comment. Consensus may be reached in a few rounds of this process. The Delphi technique helps reduce bias in the data and keeps any one person from having undue influence on the outcome. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A technique used to identify the type of dependency that is used to create the logical relationships between predecessor and successor activities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| See logical relationship. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A statistical method for identifying which factors may influence specific variables of a product or process under development or in production. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of aggregating the estimated costs of individual activities or work packages to establish an authorized cost baseline. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of developing a document that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of improving competencies, team member interaction, and overall team environment to enhance project performance. |
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Term
| Develop Project Management Plan |
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Definition
| The process of defining, preparing, and coordinating all subsidiary plans and integrating them into a comprehensive project management plan. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of analyzing activity sequences, durations, resource requirements, and schedule constraints to create the project schedule model. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Approaches to presenting information with logical linkages that aid in understanding. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A group decision-making technique in which one individual makes the decision for the group. |
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Term
| Direct and Manage Project Work |
|
Definition
| The process of leading and performing the work defined in the project management plan and implementing approved changes to achieve the project's objectives. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An activity that can be planned and measured and that yields a specific output. [Note: Discrete effort is one of three earned value management (EVM) types of activities used to measure work performance.] |
|
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Term
| discretionary dependencies |
|
Definition
| The program activities don’t have to happen in a particular, set order. Discretionary dependencies are also known as soft logic. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An elicitation technique that analyzes existing documentation and identifies information relevant to the requirements. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of gathering a corpus of information and reviewing it to determine accuracy and completeness. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The total number of work periods (not including holidays or other nonworking periods) required to complete a schedule activity or work breakdown structure component. Usually expressed as workdays or workweeks. Sometimes incorrectly equated with elapsed time. Contrast with effort. |
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Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
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Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The measure of work performed expressed in terms of the budget authorized for that work. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A methodology that combines scope, schedule, and resource measurements to assess project performance and progress. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The number of labor units required to complete a schedule activity or work breakdown structure component, often expressed in hours, days, or weeks. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The more effort that is applied, the less time the activity may take to complete. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The capability to identify, assess, and manage the personal emotions of oneself and other people, as well as the collective emotions of groups of people. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The thing that encodes the message to be delivered; think of fax machines, languages, or e-mail systems. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A positive risk response for a risk you’d like to have happen. Consider vendor discounts, a favorable window for weather conditions, or beating a deadline. |
|
|
Term
| enterprise environmental factors |
|
Definition
| The policies, procedures, regulations, culture, and conditions that affect the way a program is managed within a performing organization. |
|
|
Term
| establishing a program management and technical infrastructure phase |
|
Definition
| The “bones” of the program are created. The infrastructure defines how the program and its projects will operate. |
|
|
Term
| Estimate Activity Durations |
|
Definition
| The process of estimating the number of work periods needed to complete individual activities with estimated resources. |
|
|
Term
| Estimate Activity Resources |
|
Definition
| The process of estimating the type and quantities of material, human resources, equipment, or supplies required to perform each activity. |
|
|
Term
| Estimate at Completion (EAC) |
|
Definition
| The expected total cost of completing all work expressed as the sum of the actual cost to date and the estimate to complete. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of developing an approximation of the monetary resources needed to complete project activities. |
|
|
Term
| Estimate to Complete (ETC) |
|
Definition
| The expected cost to finish all the remaining project work. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A quantitative assessment of the likely amount or outcome. Usually applied to project costs, resources, effort, and durations and is usually preceded by a modifier (i.e., preliminary, conceptual, feasibility, order-of-magnitude, definitive). It should always include some indication of accuracy (e.g., ± x percent). See also budget and cost. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The rules, qualifications, screening systems, and determinations that help determine which vendor you’ll choose to provide the goods and services for your program. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Directing, managing, performing, and accomplishing the project work; providing the deliverables; and providing work performance information. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The collection of the program management execution processes that put the decisions made in the program management planning process group into action. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A program management process group that uses select processes, inputs, tools, and techniques to create outputs that lead to the execution of the entire program, programprojects, or portions of the program as needed. |
|
|
Term
| Expected Monetary Value (EMV) Analysis |
|
Definition
| A statistical technique that calculates the average outcome when the future includes scenarios that may or may not happen. A common use of this technique is within decision tree analysis. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Judgment provided based upon expertise in an application area, knowledge area, discipline, industry, etc., as appropriate for the activity being performed. Such expertise may be provided by any group or person with specialized education, knowledge, skill, experience, or training. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A positive risk response used when a probable risk event is exploited to realize as many gains from the event as possible. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A relationship between project activities and non-project activities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An elicitation technique using focused sessions that bring key cross-functional stakeholders together to define product requirements. |
|
|
Term
| Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) |
|
Definition
| An analytical procedure in which each potential failure mode in every component of a product is analyzed to determine its effect on the reliability of that component and, by itself or in combination with other possible failure modes, on the reliability of the product or system and on the required function of the component; or the examination of a product (at the system and/or lower levels) for all ways that a failure may occur. For each potential failure, an estimate is made of its effect on the total system and of its impact. In addition, a review is undertaken of the action planned to minimize the probability of failure and to minimize its effects. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Fallback plans include an alternative set of actions and tasks available in the event that the primary plan needs to be abandoned because of issues, risks, or other causes. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The pre-program research that helps the performing organization to determine the likelihood of a program reaching certain objectives such as time, cost, scope, and quality. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Represents profit as a component of compensation to a seller. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A point in time associated with a schedule activity's completion. Usually qualified by one of the following: actual, planned, estimated, scheduled, early, late, baseline, target, or current. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has finished. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has finished. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A contract that defines the agreed price for a contracted product. There is no incentive or bonus offered with this contract. |
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|
Term
| Firm-Fixed-Price Contract (FFP) |
|
Definition
| A type of fixed price contract where the buyer pays the seller a set amount (as defined by the contract), regardless of the seller's costs. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| See Cause and Effect Diagram. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An earned value method for assigning a specified percentage of budget value for a work package to the start milestone of the work package with the remaining budget value percentage assigned when the work package is complete. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A contract that defines the agreed price for contracted product; can include incentives for the seller. |
|
|
Term
| Fixed Price Incentive Fee |
|
Definition
| A contract that defines the agreed price for contracted product; can include incentives for the seller. |
|
|
Term
| Fixed Price Incentive Fee Contract (FPIF) |
|
Definition
| A type of contract where the buyer pays the seller a set amount (as defined by the contract), and the seller can earn an additional amount if the seller meets defined performance criteria. |
|
|
Term
| Fixed Price with Economic Price Adjustment Contracts (FP-EPA) |
|
Definition
| A fixed-price contract, but with a special provision allowing for predefined final adjustments to the contract price due to changed conditions, such as inflation changes, or cost increases (or decreases) for specific commodities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An agreement that sets the fee that will be paid for a defined scope of work regardless of the cost or effort to deliver it. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Also called slack. See total float and free float. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The depiction in a diagram format of the inputs, process actions, and outputs of one or more processes within a system. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An elicitation technique that brings together prequalified stakeholders and subject matter experts to learn about their expectations and attitudes about a proposed product, service, or result. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An estimate or prediction of conditions and events in the project's future based on information and knowledge available at the time of the forecast. The information is based on the project's past performance and expected future performance, and includes information that could impact the project in the future, such as estimate at completion and estimate to complete. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Someone with management authority over an organizational unit within a functional organization. The manager of any group that actually makes a product or performs a service. Sometimes called a line manager. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A hierarchical organization where each employee has one clear superior, and staff are grouped by areas of specialization and managed by a person with expertise in that area. |
|
|
Term
| Funding Limit Reconciliation |
|
Definition
| The process of comparing the planned expenditure of project funds against any limits on the commitment of funds for the project to identify any variances between the funding limits and the planned expenditures. |
|
|
Term
| future value of money (FV) |
|
Definition
| Calculates how much a present amount of money may be worth at some point off in the future. The formula is: Future Value = Present Value (1 + interest rate) n, where n is the number of time periods. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
|
|
Term
| government regulatory agency |
|
Definition
| The program manager identifies and manages this stakeholder according to which country the program work is occurring in, the discipline the program entails, and any new policies or laws that may affect the program work. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A category or rank used to distinguish items that have the same functional use (e.g., "hammer") but do not share the same requirements for quality (e.g., different hammers may need to withstand different amounts of force). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Expectations regarding acceptable behavior by project team members. |
|
|
Term
| Group Creativity Techniques |
|
Definition
| Techniques that are used to generate ideas within a group of stakeholders. |
|
|
Term
| Group Decision-Making Techniques |
|
Definition
| Techniques to assess multiple alternatives that will be used to generate, classify, and prioritize product requirements. |
|
|
Term
| Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) |
|
Definition
| A PMI publication that defines the generally accepted practices of project management. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An official recommendation or advice that indicates policies, standards, or procedures for how something should be accomplished. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| See mandatory dependency. |
|
|
Term
| Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory |
|
Definition
| Hygiene factors are expected and do not promote performance, but their absence can demotivate employees. Motivating agents are factors that promote performance. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A special form of bar chart used to describe the central tendency, dispersion, and shape of a statistical distribution. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Documents and data on prior projects including project files, records, correspondence, closed contracts, and closed projects. |
|
|
Term
| Human Resource Management Plan |
|
Definition
| A component of the project management plan that describes how the roles and responsibilities, reporting relationships, and staff management will be addressed and structured. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Technique used to consolidate ideas created through individual brainstorming sessions into a single map to reflect commonality and differences in understanding and to generate new ideas. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of determining which risks may affect the project and documenting their characteristics. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of identifying the people, groups, or organizations that could impact or be impacted by a decision, activity, or outcome of the project; and analyzing and documenting relevant information regarding their interests, involvement, interdependencies, influence, and potential impact on project success. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A fixed date imposed on a schedule activity or schedule milestone, usually in the form of a "start no earlier than" and "finish no later than" date. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A set of financial incentives related to cost, schedule, or technical performance of the seller. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A project life cycle where the project scope is generally determined early in the project life cycle, but time and cost estimates are routinely modified as the project team's understanding of the product increases. Iterations develop the product through a series of repeated cycles, while increments successively add to the functionality of the product. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A process of using a third party to obtain and analyze information to support prediction of cost, schedule, or other items. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A graphical representation of situations showing causal influences, time ordering of events, and other relationships among variables and outcomes. |
|
|
Term
| Information Gathering Techniques |
|
Definition
| Repeatable processes used to assemble and organize data across a spectrum of sources. |
|
|
Term
| Information Management Systems |
|
Definition
| Facilities, processes, and procedures used to collect, store, and distribute information between producers and consumers of information in physical or electronic format. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An initiating process group process that allows the program team to be assembled, duties assigned, and the program work to begin. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The result of an organizational strategic decision to launch the program, initiate component projects, and identify the program management team. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A program management process group that uses select processes, inputs, tools, and techniques to create outputs that lead to the initiation of the entire program. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Any item, whether internal or external to the project that is required by a process before that process proceeds. May be an output from a predecessor process. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Examining or measuring to verify whether an activity, component, product, result, or service conforms to specified requirements. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A process to observe performance of contracted work or a promised product against agreed-upon requirements. |
|
|
Term
| integrated change control |
|
Definition
| A process to approve and decline program changes by examining all of the areas the change may affect in the program. These areas include scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communications, risk, and procurement. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This planning process identifies and documents all the relationships within the program, external to the program, and between programs within an organizational portfolio. |
|
|
Term
| interface management plan |
|
Definition
| Defines these relationships inside and outside of the organization, including departments, lines of business, and other open programs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Ability to establish and maintain relationships with other people. |
|
|
Term
| Interrelationship Digraphs |
|
Definition
| A quality management planning tool, the interrelationship digraphs provide a process for creative problem-solving in moderately complex scenarios that possess intertwined logical relationships. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A formal or informal approach to elicit information from stakeholders by talking to them directly. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This document asks the sellers to provide a cost for the items outlined in the SOW. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A topic that needs direction and determination to reach a resolution. Issue resolution can go in several different directions, and usually there’s some turmoil and opposing views on each side of the proposed outcome of the issue. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A project document used to document and monitor elements under discussion or in dispute between project stakeholders. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The person that is responsible for reaching a decision on an issue. |
|
|
Term
| issue management and control |
|
Definition
| A monitoring and controlling process to facilitate the documentation, management, and resolution of program issues. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A point or matter in question or in dispute, or a point or matter that is not settled and is under discussion or over which there are opposing views or disagreements. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A project life cycle where the project scope is generally determined early in the project life cycle, but time and cost estimates are routinely modified as the project team's understanding of the product increases. Iterations develop the product through a series of repeated cycles, while increments successively add to the functionality of the product. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A portion of the program management focusing on a specific topic; there are nine program management knowledge areas (program integration management, scope management, time management, cost management, quality management, human resource management, communications management, risk management, and procurement management). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The amount of time whereby a successor activity is required to be delayed with respect to a predecessor activity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
|
|
Term
| Law of Diminishing Returns |
|
Definition
| The limitation of adding labor to reduce the amount of time the work takes to complete; the work itself, the yield, and the profit versus labor constraints restrict the ability to exponentially add labor to reduce the amount of time allotted to the work. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The amount of time whereby a successor activity can be advanced with respect to a predecessor activity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Documentation of what was learned about the program’s weaknesses, failures, and opportunities to improve overall performance. |
|
|
Term
| Lessons Learned Knowledge Base |
|
Definition
| A store of historical information and lessons learned about both the outcomes of previous project selection decisions and previous project performance. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An activity that does not produce definitive end products and is measured by the passage of time. [Note: Level of effort is one of three earned valued management (EVM) types of activities used to measure work performance.] |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A document used to record and describe or denote selected items identified during execution of a process or activity. Usually used with a modifier, such as issue, quality control, action, or defect. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A dependency between two activities, or between an activity and a milestone. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A contract that defines the agreed price for contracted product; can include incentives for the seller. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Support from more than 50 percent of the members of the group. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of gathering and organizing data about product requirements and analyzing them against available alternatives including the purchase or internal manufacture of the product. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Decisions made regarding the external purchase or internal manufacture of a product. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of creating, collecting, distributing, storing, retrieving, and the ultimate disposition of project information in accordance with the communications managementplan. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of tracking team member performance, providing feedback, resolving issues, and managing team changes to optimize project performance. |
|
|
Term
| Manage Stakeholder Engagement |
|
Definition
| The process of communicating and working with stakeholders to meet their needs/expectations, address issues as they occur, and foster appropriate stakeholder engagement in project activities throughout the project life cycle. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An amount of the project budget withheld for management control purposes. These are budgets reserved for unforeseen work that is within scope of the project. Themanagement reserve is not included in the performance measurement baseline (PMB). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The ability to plan, organize, direct, and control individuals or groups of people to achieve specific goals. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The program activities must happen in this particular order; there’s no other way of scheduling the program work. A mandatory dependency is also known as hard logic. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of gathering information at conferences, online reviews, and a variety of sources to identify market capabilities. |
|
|
Term
| Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs |
|
Definition
| Five needs that humans require: physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A summary-level project schedule that identifies the major deliverables and work breakdown structure components and key schedule milestones. See also milestone schedule. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The aggregate of things used by an organization in any undertaking, such as equipment, apparatus, tools, machinery, gear, material, and supplies. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A quality management and control tool used to perform data analysis within the organizational structure created in the matrix. The matrix diagram seeks to show the strength of relationships between factors, causes, and objectives that exist between the rows and columns that form the matrix. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Any organizational structure in which the project manager shares responsibility with the functional managers for assigning priorities and for directing the work of persons assigned to the project. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| X management sees the employees as lazy, untrustworthy, and generally incompetent. Y management sees the employees as motivated, competent, and able to self-lead. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The intermediary network between senders and receivers in the communication model; think of the phone lines between fax machines. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A system of practices, techniques, procedures, and rules used by those who work in a discipline. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A milestone is a timeless event that shows progress within the project. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A list identifying all project milestones and normally indicates whether the milestone is mandatory or optional. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A summary-level schedule that identifies the major schedule milestones. See also master schedule. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A significant point or event in a project, program, or portfolio. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This risk response is an attempt to reduce the probability and/or impact of a risk. |
|
|
Term
| Monitor and Control Project Work |
|
Definition
| The process of tracking, reviewing, and reporting the progress to meet the performance objectives defined in the project management plan. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Collect project performance data with respect to a plan, produce performance measures, and report and disseminate performance information. |
|
|
Term
| monitoring and controlling process group |
|
Definition
| The program management processes used to manage changes to the program scope, control the project work, and address all levels of change, consistency, and expectations in all facets of the program. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A technique that computes or iterates the project cost or project schedule many times using input values selected at random from probability distributions of possible costs or durations, to calculate a distribution of possible total project cost or completion dates. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A process which generates hundreds or thousands of probable performance outcomes based on probability distributions for cost and schedule on individual tasks. The outcomes are then used to generate a probability distribution for the project as a whole. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An estimate of the most probable activity duration that takes into account all of the known variables that could affect performance. |
|
|
Term
| Multi-Rater Assessment (MRA) |
|
Definition
| An assessment by 12 colleagues of the PgMP candidate. Raters consist of one supervisor, four peers, four direct reports, and three professional references. Raters will assess the PgMP candidate’s ability to lead programs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A schedule activity that has low total float. The concept of near-critical is equally applicable to a schedule activity or schedule network path. The limit below which total float is considered near critical is subject to expert judgment and varies from project to project. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A stakeholder that does not want your program to exist or to reach its objectives. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of reaching final equitable settlement of all outstanding issues, claims, and disputes through negotiation. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process and activities to resolving disputes through consultations between involved parties. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A formula that considers the present value of each predicted return on investment for a program that may have tiered deliverables and intermediate returns on the program’s investment over a series of years. |
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Term
|
Definition
| See schedule network analysis. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The collection of schedule activity dependencies that makes up a project schedule network diagram. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any continuous series of schedule activities connected with logical relationships in a project schedule network diagram. |
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Term
|
Definition
| See project schedule network diagram. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Establishing connections and relationships with other people from the same or other organizations. |
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Term
|
Definition
| One of the defining points of a schedule network; a junction point joined to some or all of the other dependency lines. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any element that may disrupt or distort the communication between the sender and the receiver. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A technique that enhances brainstorming with a voting process used to rank the most useful ideas for further brainstorming or for prioritization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| In the cost of quality framework, nonconformance work is done to deal with the consequences of errors and failures in doing activities correctly on the first attempt. In efficient quality management systems, the amount of nonconformance work will approach zero. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Something toward which work is to be directed, 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. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A technique that provides a direct way of viewing individuals in their environment performing their jobs or tasks and carrying out processes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The normal, ongoing, day-to-day functions of an organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A risk that would have a positive effect on one or more project objectives. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An estimate of the shortest activity duration that takes into account all of the known variables that could affect performance. |
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|
Term
| Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) |
|
Definition
| A hierarchical representation of the project organization that illustrates the relationship between project activities and the organizational units that will perform those activities. |
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Term
| organizational process assets |
|
Definition
| The collection of tools, templates, software, and other assets that an organization has to benefit the completion of programs and projects. |
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Term
| Organizational Project Management Maturity |
|
Definition
| The level of an organization's ability to deliver the desired strategic outcomes in a predictable, controllable, and reliable manner. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The Japanese Management theory. Organizations can thrive as the management of Japanese businesses did with familial environments, participative management, and life-long employment. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A product, result, or service generated by a process. May be an input to a successor process. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An estimating technique in which an algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration based on historical data and project parameters. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A parameter is used to calculate costs, such as cost per metric ton, cost per server license, or even cost per hour. Also called a parametric estimate. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A histogram, ordered by frequency of occurrence, that shows how many results were generated by each identified cause. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A law that states that work will expand to fill the amount of time allotted to it. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A relationship in which a schedule activity has more than one predecessor. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A relationship in which a schedule activity has more than one successor. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The system used to provide and track supplier's invoices and payments for services and products. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An estimate expressed as a percent of the amount of work that has been completed on an activity or a work breakdown structure component. |
|
|
Term
| Perform Integrated Change Control |
|
Definition
| The process of reviewing all change requests; approving changes and managing changes to deliverables, organizational process assets, project documents, and the projectmanagement plan; and communicating their disposition. |
|
|
Term
| Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis |
|
Definition
| The process of prioritizing risks for further analysis or action by assessing and combining their probability of occurrence and impact. |
|
|
Term
| Perform Quality Assurance |
|
Definition
| The process of auditing the quality requirements and the results from quality control measurements to ensure that appropriate quality standards and operational definitions are used. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| A monitoring and controlling process to manage the program quality; it is an inspection-driven process to keep mistakes from reaching the program customers. |
|
|
Term
| Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis |
|
Definition
| The process of numerically analyzing the effect of identified risks on overall project objectives. |
|
|
Term
| Performance Measurement Baseline |
|
Definition
| An approved, integrated scope-schedule-cost plan for the project work against which project execution is compared to measure and manage performance. The PMB includes contingency reserve, but excludes management reserve. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| A monitoring and controlling process that works in tandem with the communications control process to report on the health of the program in all areas. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| A technique that is used to measure, compare, and analyze actual performance of work in progress on the project against the baseline. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The entity that the program works within. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Estimate of the longest activity duration that takes into account all of the known variables that could affect performance. |
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|
Term
| PgMP multiple-choice assessment exam |
|
Definition
| A 170-question examination on the skills and concepts of program management. The exam is administered through a Prometric testing center and lasts four hours. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The review of the program’s adherence to the performing organization’s strategic objectives, analysis of any immediate ROI, review of program risks and threats, and a confirmation that the program manager and the program management team are adhering to the established rules and policies of the program. Phase gate reviews happen at the end of a program phase. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
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Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Plan Communications Management |
|
Definition
| The process of developing an appropriate approach and plan for project communications based on stakeholder's information needs and requirements and available organizational assets. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The process that establishes the policies, procedures, and documentation for planning, managing, expending, and controlling project costs. |
|
|
Term
| Plan Human Resource Management |
|
Definition
| The process of identifying and documenting project roles, responsibilities, required skills, reporting relationships, and creating a staffing management plan. |
|
|
Term
| Plan Procurement Management |
|
Definition
| The process of documenting project procurement decisions, specifying the approach, and identifying potential sellers. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of identifying quality requirements and/or standards for the project and its deliverables, and documenting how the project will demonstrate compliance with quality requirements. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of developing options and actions to enhance opportunities and to reduce threats to project objectives. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of defining how to conduct risk management activities for a project. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of establishing the policies, procedures, and documentation for planning, developing, managing, executing, and controlling the project schedule. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of creating a scope management plan that documents how the project scope will be defined, validated, and controlled. |
|
|
Term
| Plan Stakeholder Management |
|
Definition
| The process of developing appropriate management strategies to effectively engage stakeholders throughout the project life cycle, based on the analysis of their needs, interests, and potential impact on project success. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The authorized budget assigned to scheduled work. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A work breakdown structure component below the control account with known work content but without detailed schedule activities. See also control account. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Those processes required to establish the scope of the project, refine the objectives, and define the course of action required to attain the objectives that the project was undertaken to achieve. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A program management process group that uses select processes, inputs, tools, and techniques to create outputs that lead to the effective planning of the entire program. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Decisions made by the largest block in a group, even if a majority is not achieved. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A PMI representative that may contact the PgMP applicant to discuss the candidate’s failure to meet the requirements of the PgMP certification process. The PMI Credential Associate and the PgMP applicant may discuss what additional information is needed on the application for the certification process to continue. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A structured pattern of actions adopted by an organization such that the organization's policy can be explained as a set of basic principles that govern the organization's conduct. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The centralized management of one or more portfolios to achieve strategic objectives. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Projects, programs, subportfolios, and operations managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A stakeholder that is in favor of your program existing and accomplishing its objectives. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A specific type of professional or management activity that contributes to the execution of a process and that may employ one or more techniques and tools. |
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|
Term
| Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) |
|
Definition
| 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. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The term used in the precedence diagramming method for a logical relationship. In current usage, however, precedence relationship, logical relationship, and dependency are widely used interchangeably, regardless of the diagramming method used. See also logical relationship. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Within the quality management system, precision is a measure of exactness. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An activity that logically comes before a dependent activity in a schedule. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A form of project life cycle in which the project scope, and the time and cost required to deliver that scope, are determined as early in the life cycle as possible. |
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Term
|
Definition
| See discretionary dependency. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| See discretionary dependency. |
|
|
Term
| preliminary project scope statement |
|
Definition
| An initial foundation for the direction the project will take, which offers some direction for the planning process group. |
|
|
Term
| preliminary program scope statement |
|
Definition
| The initial program scope statement, which includes the high-level objectives for the program. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The program concept is shared, and there’s an organizational rally cry for program support and stakeholder buy-in. |
|
|
Term
| present value of money (PV) |
|
Definition
| Determines how much a future amount of money is worth today. The formula is: Present Value = Future Value/(1 + interest rate) n, where n represents the time periods. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An intentional activity that ensures the future performance of the project work is aligned with the project management plan. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A quality management planning tool used to identify key issues and evaluate suitable alternatives to define a set of implementation priorities. |
|
|
Term
| Probability and Impact Matrix |
|
Definition
| A grid for mapping the probability of each risk occurrence and its impact on project objectives if that risk occurs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An established method of accomplishing a consistent performance or result, a procedure typically can be described as the sequence of steps that will be used to execute a process. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A process analysis follows the steps outlined in the process improvement plan to identify needed improvements. |
|
|
Term
| Process Decision Program Charts (PDPC) |
|
Definition
| The PDPC is used to understand a goal in relation to the steps for getting to the goal. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A subsidiary plan of the project management plan. It details the steps for analyzing processes to identify activities that enhance their value. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A systematic series of activities directed towards causing an end result such that one or more inputs will be acted upon to create one or more outputs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The review of contracts and contracting processes for completeness, accuracy, and effectiveness. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The documents utilized in bid and proposal activities, which include the buyer's Invitation for Bid, Invitation for Negotiations, Request for Information, Request for Quotation, Request for Proposal, and seller's responses. |
|
|
Term
| Procurement Performance Reviews |
|
Definition
| A structured review of the seller's progress to deliver project scope and quality, within cost and on schedule, as compared to the contract. |
|
|
Term
| Procurement Statement of Work |
|
Definition
| Describes the procurement item in sufficient detail to allow prospective sellers to determine if they are capable of providing the products, services, or results. |
|
|
Term
| procurement management plan |
|
Definition
| Defines the program’s procurement management process: the procurement process, bidder selection, and vendor management. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| For projects that have a product as a deliverable, it is a tool to define scope that generally means asking questions about a product and forming answers to describe the use, characteristics, and other the relevant aspects of what is going to be manufactured. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The series of phases that represent the evolution of a product, from concept through delivery, growth, maturity, and to retirement. |
|
|
Term
| Product Scope Description |
|
Definition
| The documented narrative description of the product scope. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The features and functions that characterize a product, service, or result. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An artifact that is produced, is quantifiable, and can be either an end item in itself or a component item. Additional words for products are material and goods. Contrast withresult. See also deliverable. |
|
|
Term
| Professional Development Unit (PDU) |
|
Definition
| One hour of PMI-approved continuing education, knowledge base contribution, or program management volunteer work typically equates to one PDU. Always check with PMI’s policies on how many PDUs volunteer activities, article creation, and PMI-chapter events actually create. Each PgMP is required to earn 60 PDUs per three-year certification cycle. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A program is a collection of projects managed in a controlled, balanced effort to realize benefits not available by managing each project independently. Programs are composed of projects that work in tandem to create a consolidated deliverable that aligns with the strategic vision of the performing organization. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| All of the documentation on the program, contracts, communications, supporting detail, and the program’s projects are archived and become part of organizational process assets. |
|
|
Term
| program benefits identification |
|
Definition
| A pre-program setup phase activity that identifies the expected benefits the program is to create for the performing organization. |
|
|
Term
| program benefits statement |
|
Definition
| This document defines all of the good that will come out of the program. It defines the benefits the organization can expect as a result of completing the program and helps theprogram manager adhere to the benefits management theme of the program. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Defines how the program may fit into the organization’s strategic plan, and it defines the need for the program to be initiated and to exist in the organization. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Documented requests to change the program scope. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Identifies the program manager and grants the program manager the authority to manage all aspects of the program. |
|
|
Term
| program communications management |
|
Definition
| The program management knowledge area responsible for communications planning, information distribution, communications control, and performance reporting. |
|
|
Term
| program communications management plan |
|
Definition
| Defines the communication demands and expectations for the program stakeholders. |
|
|
Term
| program contract administration |
|
Definition
| A monitoring and controlling process to ensure that the buyers and sellers are both following the terms of the program contracts. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The program management knowledge area that facilitates the cost estimating and budget for the program and provides for cost control. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The recipient of the program deliverables. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The executive owner of the program; this is the person to whom the program manager reports. |
|
|
Term
| Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) |
|
Definition
| A technique for estimating that applies a weighted average of optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely estimates when there is uncertainty with the individual activity estimates. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Program governance is the enforcement of the rules and procedures of an organization to ensure that they are followed for the program’s planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing a program phases. It the assurance that all program procedures are followed as planned and expected by the organization, the project managers, and you, the program manager. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A group that ensures that the program goals are being achieved, risks are being anticipated and planned for, and the board provides support for program issue resolution. |
|
|
Term
| program human resource management |
|
Definition
| The program management knowledge area that allows the program team to be initiated and acquired and the human resources for the program to be planned. This is also the knowledge area that hosts team development. |
|
|
Term
| program initiating process group |
|
Definition
| The first of five process groups, which authorizes the program, authorizes the component projects, and initiates the program management team. |
|
|
Term
| program integration management |
|
Definition
| The program management knowledge area that provides processes for initiating the program, developing the program plan, executing the plans, providing program control, and closing the program and its components. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An entity or person that the program has to interact with. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The series of phases within a program used to govern the program, manage the program benefits, coordinate the component projects, and collectively manage risks and issues within the program. |
|
|
Term
| program management office (PMO) |
|
Definition
| The centralized organization that defines and manages the program governance procedures, establishes program processes, and provides program templates and forms. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Documents and communicates how the program will create the benefits, describes the actions to realize the benefits, and serves as the baseline for tracking benefits realization. |
|
|
Term
| program management processes |
|
Definition
| The processes that compose the program management activities to complete the program life cycle. |
|
|
Term
| Program Management Professional (PgMP) |
|
Definition
| A PMI-certified program manager who has exhibited program management experience, attained sufficient education, passed a multiple-choice examination, earned a Multi-Rater Assessment, and is in good standing with PMI. |
|
|
Term
| program management review panel |
|
Definition
| A collection of PMI-sponsored program managers that will review program management applicants to determine if an applicant should be approved, audited, or declined access to the certification process. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a program to meet the program requirements and to obtain benefits and control not available by managing projects individually. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The person that is responsible for the management of a program. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Supports the program by handling the administrative functions of the program at one central locale. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The smallest item in the program work breakdown structure. |
|
|
Term
| program preferred vendor list |
|
Definition
| A list of prescreened and qualified vendors from which a program manager is allowed to procure program resources. |
|
|
Term
| program procurement management |
|
Definition
| The program management knowledge area that facilitates the planning of purchasing, contracting, working with sellers, performing contract administration, and control closure. |
|
|
Term
| program quality management |
|
Definition
| The program management knowledge area that hosts the quality planning–, quality assurance–, and quality control–related processes. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A human resource, equipment, materials, or facilities that contribute to the program work. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The knowledge area responsible for risk management planning and analysis while also supporting risk monitoring and control. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The program scope defines all of the required work—and only the required work—in order to satisfy the program’s objectives; serves as the baseline for all future programdecisions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The program management knowledge area that is responsible for defining the program scope, creating the program work breakdown structure (PWBS), and controlling theprogram scope. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The program is chartered, and the program manager is officially assigned. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The champion of the program; this can be an individual, customer, or line of business within the performing organization. The sponsor, whoever it may be for a program, is responsible for providing the resources to deliver the expected benefits of the program. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A document that defines all of the contact information, roles, and responsibilities for all of the program team members. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Assist the program manager to get the program work done by helping her to communicate with stakeholders, in addition to executing and completing program processes. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The program is canceled due to poor performance, changes in technology, organizational demands, cash flow, marketplace considerations, or any number of reasons. |
|
|
Term
| program termination requests |
|
Definition
| If a program is not performing well or there are conditions outside of the program’s control, such as a law or a regulation, the program may be terminated. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The program management knowledge area responsible for creating and controlling the program schedule. |
|
|
Term
| program work breakdown structure (PWBS) |
|
Definition
| A hierarchical decomposition of the program scope. It decomposes the program scope statement into the individual deliverables, called program packages, the program promises to deliver. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A group of related projects, subprograms, and program activities managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| 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. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A document that defines how the component project will support the program scope. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A calendar that identifies working days and shifts that are available for scheduled activities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The document that authorizes the project to exist within the program. This document also identifies the project manager and his level of authority in the project. The project charter is signed by the project sponsor. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Project activities that close out the project to support the goals of the program. |
|
|
Term
| Project Communications Management |
|
Definition
| Project Communications Management includes the processes that are required to ensure timely and appropriate planning, collection, creation, distribution, storage, retrieval,management, control, monitoring, and the ultimate disposition of project information. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Project Cost Management includes the processes involved in planning, estimating, budgeting, financing, funding, managing, and controlling costs so that the project can be completed within the approved budget. |
|
|
Term
| Project Funding Requirements |
|
Definition
| Forecast project costs to be paid that are derived from the cost baseline for total or periodic requirements, including projected expenditures plus anticipated liabilities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The alignment of project objectives with the strategy of the larger organization by the project sponsor and project team. A project's governance is defined by and is required to fit within the larger context of the program or organization sponsoring it, but is separate from organizational governance. |
|
|
Term
| Project Human Resource Management |
|
Definition
| Project Human Resource Management includes the processes that organize, manage, and lead the project team. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Launching a process that can result in the authorization of a new project. |
|
|
Term
| Project Integration Management |
|
Definition
| Project Integration Management includes the processes and activities needed to identify, define, combine, unify, and coordinate the various processes and projectmanagement activities within the Project Management Process Groups. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The series of phases that a project passes through from its initiation to its closure. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The managers of the projects that make up the program. |
|
|
Term
| Project Organization Chart |
|
Definition
| A document that graphically depicts the project team members and their interrelationships for a specific project. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A collection of logically related project activities that culminates in the completion of one or more deliverables. |
|
|
Term
| project procurement management |
|
Definition
| This knowledge area creates the procurement management plan to define what needs to be procured, how sellers will be selected, how the project manager will perform contract administration, and how the contracts will be closed. |
|
|
Term
| project quality management |
|
Definition
| There are three quality processes in this knowledge area: quality planning, quality assurance, and quality control. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This knowledge area creates the risk management plan and oversees risk identification, qualitative and quantitative analysis, risk response planning, and the ongoing efforts of risk monitoring and control. |
|
|
Term
| Project Schedule Network Diagram |
|
Definition
| A graphical representation of the logical relationships among the project schedule activities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An output of a schedule model that presents linked activities with planned dates, durations, milestones, and resources. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This knowledge area defines how the project scope will be planned, the WBS created, and the scope work verified; it establishes overall control for the project scope. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The work performed to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified features and functions. |
|
|
Term
| Project Stakeholder Management |
|
Definition
| Project Stakeholder Management includes the processes required to identify all people or organizations impacted by the project, analyzing stakeholder expectations and impact on the project, and developing appropriate management strategies for effectively engaging stakeholders in project decisions and execution. |
|
|
Term
| Project Statement of Work |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A documented list of project team members, their project roles, and communication information. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| These are the people on the program’s project teams, the experts who do the project work. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A set of individuals who support the project manager in performing the work of the project to achieve its objectives. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This knowledge area begins with activity definition, schedule estimates, and scheduling, and then moves onto controlling the project schedule. |
|
|
Term
| Project Management Body of Knowledge |
|
Definition
| An inclusive term that describes the sum of knowledge within the profession of project management. As with other professions, such as law, medicine, and accounting, the body of knowledge rests with the practitioners and academics that apply and advance it. The complete project management body of knowledge includes proven traditional practices that are widely applied and innovative practices that are emerging in the profession. The body of knowledge includes both published and unpublished materials. This body of knowledge is constantly evolving. PMI's PMBOK® Guide identifies a subset of the project management body of knowledge that is generally recognized as good practice. |
|
|
Term
| Project Management Information System |
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Definition
| An information system consisting of the tools and techniques used to gather, integrate, and disseminate the outputs of project management processes. It is used to support all aspects of the project from initiating through closing, and can include both manual and automated systems. |
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Term
| Project Management Institute (PMI) |
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Definition
| A global advocate for the profession of project management. PMI is the certifying body for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), Project ManagementProfessional (PMP), and Program Management Professional (PgMP) certifications. The not-for-profit organization was founded in 1969 and is based in Newton Square, Pennsylvania. |
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Term
| Project Management Knowledge Area |
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Definition
| An identified area of project management defined by its knowledge requirements and described in terms of its component processes, practices, inputs, outputs, tools, and techniques. |
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Term
| project management life cycle |
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Definition
| The universal project phases of initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. |
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Term
| Project Management Office (PMO) |
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Definition
| An organizational structure that standardizes the project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques. |
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Term
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Definition
| The document that describes how the project will be executed monitored, and controlled. |
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Term
| Project Management Process Group |
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Definition
| A logical grouping of project management inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs. The Project Management Process Groups include initiating processes, planning processes, executing processes, monitoring and controlling processes, and closing processes. Project Management Process Groups are not project phases. |
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Term
| Project Management Professional (PMP) |
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Definition
| A project manager who has exhibited educational and project management experience and has passed a 200-question project management assessment exam. |
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Term
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Definition
| The members of the project team who perform project management activities such as schedule, communications, risk management, etc. |
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Term
| Project Management System |
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Definition
| The aggregation of the processes, tools, techniques, methodologies, resources, and procedures to manage a project. |
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Term
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Definition
| The members of the project team who are directly involved in project management activities. On some smaller projects, the project management team may include virtually all of the project team members. |
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Term
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Definition
| The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements. |
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Term
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Definition
| A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. |
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Term
| Project-Based Organizations (PBOs) |
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Definition
| A variety of organizational forms that involve the creation of temporary systems for the performance of projects. PBOs conduct the majority of their activities as projects and/or provide project over functional approaches. |
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Term
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Definition
| Any organizational structure in which the project manager has full authority to assign priorities, apply resources, and direct the work of persons assigned to the project. |
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Term
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Definition
| A professionally monitored and proctored examination facility where PMI, and other organizations, require their certification candidates to take their assessment examinations. |
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Term
| Proposal Evaluation Techniques |
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Definition
| The process of reviewing proposals provided by suppliers to support contract award decisions. |
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Term
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Definition
| A method of obtaining early feedback on requirements by providing a working model of the expected product before actually building it. |
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Term
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Definition
| These risks events have only a negative effect on the program. |
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Term
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Definition
| The conformance to requirements and a fitness for use. |
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Term
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Definition
| A management-driven process to prevent mistakes from entering the program’s products, deliverables, and benefits. |
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Term
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Definition
| A quality audit is a structured, independent process to determine if project activities comply with organizational and project policies, processes, and procedures. |
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Term
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Definition
| A structured tool used to verify that a set of required steps has been performed. |
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Term
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Definition
| An inspection-driven process to confirm that quality exists within the program’s deliverables and to keep mistakes out of the customer’s hands. |
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Term
| Quality Control Measurements |
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Definition
| The documented results of control quality activities. |
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Term
| Quality Function Deployment (QFD) |
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Definition
| A facilitated workshop technique that helps to determine critical characteristics for new product development. |
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Term
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Definition
| A description of a project or product attribute and how to measure it. |
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Term
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Definition
| A policy specific to the Project Quality Management Knowledge Area, it establishes the basic principles that should govern the organization's actions as it implements its system for quality management. |
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Term
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Definition
| A condition or capability that will be used to assess conformance by validating the acceptability of an attribute for the quality of a result. |
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Term
| Quality Management and Control Tools |
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Definition
| They are a type of quality planning tools used to link and sequence the activities identified. |
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Term
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Definition
| Defines how the quality objectives will be met within the project, including the adherence to quality assurance (QA) programs, quality control at the project level, and the expected reactions when quality inspections are less successful than expected. |
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Term
| Quality Management System |
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Definition
| The organizational framework whose structure provides the policies, processes, procedures, and resources required to implement the quality management plan. The typical project quality management plan should be compatible to the organization's quality management system. |
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Term
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Definition
| The degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements. |
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Term
| Quantitative Risk Analysis and Modeling Techniques |
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Definition
| Commonly used techniques for both event-oriented and project-oriented analysis approaches. |
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Term
| Questionnaires and Surveys |
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Definition
| Written sets of questions designed to quickly accumulate information from a large number of respondents. |
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Term
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Definition
| A matrix using the actions of Responsible, Accountable, Consult, and Inform to designate the action required by the role. |
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Term
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Definition
| A common type of responsibility assignment matrix that uses responsible, accountable, consult, and inform statuses to define the involvement of stakeholders in project activities. |
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Term
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Definition
| The receiver of a message in the communication model. |
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Term
| Records Management System |
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Definition
| A specific set of processes, related control functions, and tools that are consolidated and combined to record and retain information about the project. |
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Term
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Definition
| An analytic technique where a series of input variables are examined in relation to their corresponding output results in order to develop a mathematical or statistical relationship. |
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Term
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Definition
| Requirements imposed by a governmental body. These requirements can establish product, process, or service characteristics, including applicable administrative provisions that have government-mandated compliance. |
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Term
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Definition
| Facilities, processes, and procedures used to generate or consolidate reports from one or more information management systems and facilitate report distribution to the project stakeholders. |
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Term
| Request for Information (RFI) |
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Definition
| A type of procurement document whereby the buyer requests a potential seller to provide various pieces of information related to a product or service or seller capability. |
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Term
| request for proposal (RFP) |
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Definition
| This document asks the vendor to create a proposal for your program. An RFP takes your basic vision and allows the vendor to run with it, designing a solution with a lot of features and solutions you may not have thought of. The creation of a web site is a good example. RFPs are a lot of work for vendors. |
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Term
| Request for Quotation (RFQ) |
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Definition
| A type of procurement document used to request price quotations from prospective sellers of common or standard products or services. Sometimes used in place of request for proposal and, in some application areas, it may have a narrower or more specific meaning. |
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Term
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Definition
| A formally documented change request that is submitted for approval to the integrated change control process. |
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Term
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Definition
| 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. |
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Term
| Requirements Documentation |
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Definition
| A description of how individual requirements meet the business need for the project. |
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Term
| Requirements Traceability Matrix |
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Definition
| A grid that links product requirements from their origin to the deliverables that satisfy them. |
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Term
| Requirements Management Plan |
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Definition
| A component of the project or program management plan that describes how requirements will be analyzed, documented, and managed. |
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Term
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Definition
| An analytical technique to determine the essential features and relationships of components in the project management plan to establish a reserve for the schedule duration, budget, estimated cost, or funds for a project. |
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Term
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Definition
| A provision in the project management plan to mitigate cost and/or schedule risk. Often used with a modifier (e.g., management reserve, contingency reserve) to provide further detail on what types of risk are meant to be mitigated. |
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Term
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Definition
| A risk that remains after risk responses have been implemented. |
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Term
| Resource Breakdown Structure |
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Definition
| A hierarchical representation of resources by category and type. |
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Term
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Definition
| A calendar that identifies the working days and shifts on which each specific resource is available. |
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Term
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Definition
| A monitoring and controlling process to control the utilization of all program resources, including human resources, materials, facilities, and equipment. |
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Term
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Definition
| A bar chart showing the amount of time that a resource is scheduled to work over a series of time periods. Resource availability may be depicted as a line for comparison purposes. Contrasting bars may show actual amounts of resources used as the project progresses. |
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Term
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Definition
| A technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource constraints with the goal of balancing demand for resources with the available supply. |
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Term
| Resource Optimization Techniques |
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Definition
| A technique that is used to adjust the start and finish dates of activities that adjust planned resource use to be equal to or less than resource availability. |
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Term
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Definition
| This iterative planning process defines all of the people, materials, equipment, facilities, and other program resources needed to satisfy the program scope. Resource planning also defines how the identified resources can best be used across the program for maximum return on program investment. |
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Term
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Definition
| The reassignment of project resources once a project has been closed. |
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Term
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Definition
| A technique which adjusts the activities of a schedule model such that the requirement for resources on the project do not exceed certain predefined resource limits. |
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Term
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Definition
| Defines how resources will be obtained, managed, and allocated throughout the program. This plan also defines how the resources will be tracked across the program’s projects to ensure that resources are not over-allocated and are being used as efficiently as possible. |
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Term
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Definition
| Skilled human resources (specific disciplines either individually or in crews or teams), equipment, services, supplies, commodities, material, budgets, or funds. |
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Term
| responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) |
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Definition
| A generic matrix that lists the individuals that will be working on the program and all of the responsibilities that have to be undertaken. |
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Term
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Definition
| An assignment that can be delegated within a project management plan such that the assigned resource incurs a duty to perform the requirements of the assignment. |
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Term
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Definition
| An output from performing project management processes and activities. Results include outcomes (e.g., integrated systems, revised process, restructured organization, tests, trained personnel, etc.) and documents (e.g., policies, plans, studies, procedures, specifications, reports, etc.). Contrast with product. See also deliverable. |
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Term
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Definition
| Action taken to bring a defective or nonconforming component into compliance with requirements or specifications. |
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Term
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Definition
| An uncertain event or condition that may have a positive or negative effect on the program. |
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Term
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Definition
| A risk response strategy whereby the project team decides to acknowledge the risk and not take any action unless the risk occurs. |
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Term
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Definition
| The degree of uncertainty an entity is willing to take on, in anticipation of a reward. |
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Term
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Definition
| Examination and documentation of the effectiveness of risk responses in dealing with identified risks and their root causes, as well as the effectiveness of the riskmanagement process. |
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Term
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Definition
| A risk response strategy whereby the project team acts to eliminate the threat or protect the project from its impact. |
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Term
| Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS) |
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Definition
| A hierarchical representation of risks according to their risk categories. |
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Term
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Definition
| Organization by sources of risk (e.g., using the RBS), the area of the project affected (e.g., using the WBS), or other useful category (e.g., project phase) to determine the areas of the project most exposed to the effects of uncertainty. |
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Term
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Definition
| A group of potential causes of risk. |
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Term
| Risk Data Quality Assessment |
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Definition
| Technique to evaluate the degree to which the data about risks is useful for risk management. |
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Term
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Definition
| A risk response strategy whereby the project team acts to reduce the probability of occurrence or impact of a risk. |
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Term
| risk monitoring and control |
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Definition
| A monitoring and controlling process to ensure that new risks are being identified, existing risks are being monitored, and the planned responses for risk events are monitored for their effectiveness. |
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Term
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Definition
| The program team member closest to the risk event with the authority to respond to the risk event as planned. |
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Term
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Definition
| Risk reassessment is the identification of new risks, reassessment of current risks, and the closing of risks that are outdated. |
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Term
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Definition
| The collection and documentation for risks within the program, the risk characteristics, status, probability, and impact, along with potential risk responses. |
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Term
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Definition
| Addresses the responses to the identified risk events. The risk response plan defines how the risk owner should react if the risk event passes the risk threshold and the event comes into play. |
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Term
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Definition
| Measure of the level of uncertainty or the level of impact at which a stakeholder may have a specific interest. Below that risk threshold, the organization will accept the risk. Above that risk threshold, the organization will not tolerate the risk. |
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Term
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Definition
| The degree, amount, or volume of risk that an organization or individual will withstand. |
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Term
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Definition
| A risk response strategy whereby the project team shifts the impact of a threat to a third party, together with ownership of the response. |
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Term
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Definition
| Review and determination of the timing of actions that may need to occur sooner than other risk items. |
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Term
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Definition
| A component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how risk management activities will be structured and performed. |
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Term
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Definition
| An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on one or more project objectives. |
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Term
| role and responsibility chart |
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Definition
| A matrix to demonstrate which role is responsible for what. |
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Term
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Definition
| A defined function to be performed by a project team member, such as testing, filing, inspecting, or coding. |
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Term
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Definition
| 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. |
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Term
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Definition
| An analytical technique used to determine the basic underlying reason that causes a variance or a defect or a risk. A root cause may underlie more than one variance or defect or risk. |
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Term
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Definition
| This project cost estimate approach is very broad and unreliable. It’s usually created with the preliminary project scope statement and has a range of variance of –25% to +75% for the project completion. |
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Term
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Definition
| A correlation chart that uses a regression line to explain or to predict how the change in an independent variable will change a dependent variable. |
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Term
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Definition
| The approved version of a schedule model that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to actual results. |
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Term
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Definition
| Techniques used to shorten the schedule duration without reducing the project scope. |
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Term
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Definition
| A monitoring and controlling process to manage and react to changes of the program schedule. |
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Term
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Definition
| The collection of information for describing and controlling the schedule. |
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Term
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Definition
| Estimates or predictions of conditions and events in the project's future based on information and knowledge available at the time the schedule is calculated. |
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Term
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Definition
| 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. |
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Term
| Schedule Network Analysis |
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Definition
| The technique of identifying early and late start dates, as well as early and late finish dates, for the uncompleted portions of project schedule activities. See also backward pass, critical path method, critical chain method, and resource leveling. |
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Term
| Schedule Network Templates |
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Definition
| A set of activities and relationships that have been established that can be used repeatedly for a particular application area or an aspect of the project where a prescribed sequence is desired. |
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Term
| Schedule Performance Index (SPI) |
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Definition
| A measure of schedule efficiency expressed as the ratio of earned value to planned value. |
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Term
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Definition
| A measure of schedule performance expressed as the difference between the earned value and the planned value. |
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Term
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Definition
| A component of the project management plan that establishes the criteria and the activities for developing, monitoring, and controlling the schedule. |
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Term
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Definition
| See project schedule and see also schedule model. |
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Term
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Definition
| A tool that provides schedule component names, definitions, structural relationships, and formats that support the application of a scheduling method. |
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Term
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Definition
| The approved version of a scope statement, work breakdown structure (WBS), and its associated WBS dictionary, that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison. |
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Term
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Definition
| Any change to the project scope. A scope change almost always requires an adjustment to the project cost or schedule. |
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Term
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Definition
| A monitoring and controlling process to control, approve, and decline changes to the program scope. |
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Term
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Definition
| The uncontrolled expansion to product or project scope without adjustments to time, cost, and resources. |
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Term
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Definition
| Defines the program scope and how the program scope will be controlled. The plan defines the program management scope change control system and the process programchange requests must follow to be incorporated into the program plan. |
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Term
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Definition
| The sum of the products, services, and results to be provided as a project. See also project scope and product scope. |
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Term
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Definition
| A risk that arises as a direct result of implementing a risk response. |
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Term
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Definition
| The sellers which have been selected to provide a contracted set of services or products. |
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Term
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Definition
| Formal responses from sellers to a request for proposal or other procurement document specifying the price, commercial terms of sale, and technical specifications or capabilities the seller will do for the requesting organization that, if accepted, would bind the seller to perform the resulting agreement. |
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Term
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Definition
| A provider or supplier of products, services, or results to an organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| The person or entity sending the communication. |
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Term
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Definition
| A quantitative risk analysis and modeling technique used to help determine which risks have the most potential impact on the project. It examines the extent to which the uncertainty of each project element affects the objective being examined when all other uncertain elements are held at their baseline values. The typical display of results is in the form of a tornado diagram. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of identifying and documenting relationships among the project activities. |
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Term
| Seven Basic Quality Tools |
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Definition
| A standard toolkit used by quality management professionals who are responsible for planning, monitoring, and controlling the issues related to quality in an organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| A positive risk response for two or more entities to realize the benefits of a risk they couldn’t seize individually. |
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Term
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Definition
| A simulation uses a project model that translates the uncertainties specified at a detailed level into their potential impact on objectives that are expressed at the level of the total project. Project simulations use computer models and estimates of risk, usually expressed as a probability distribution of possible costs or durations at a detailed work level, and are typically performed using Monte Carlo analysis. |
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Term
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Definition
| See discretionary dependency. |
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Term
| Source Selection Criteria |
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Definition
| A set of attributes desired by the buyer which a seller is required to meet or exceed to be selected for a contract. |
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Term
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Definition
| The area, on either side of the centerline, or mean, of data plotted on a control chart that meets the customer's requirements for a product or service. This area may be greater than or less than the area defined by the control limits. See also control limits. |
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Term
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Definition
| A document that specifies, in a complete, precise, verifiable manner, the requirements, design, behavior, or other characteristics of a system, component, product, result, or service and the procedures for determining whether these provisions have been satisfied. Examples are: requirement specification, design specification, product specification, and test specification. |
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Term
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Definition
| A person or group who provides resources and support for the project, program, or portfolio and is accountable for enabling success. |
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Term
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Definition
| The entity responsible for providing the project's sponsor and a conduit for project funding or other project resources. |
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Term
| staffing pool description |
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Definition
| Depicts the talent, competencies, interest, availability, and cost of the resources that may be able to participate on the program management team. |
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Term
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Definition
| Defines the needed resources for the program and how the program will obtain those resources. This program plan also defines how the staff may be brought into and released from the program. |
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Term
| stakeholder analysis chart |
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Definition
| This chart can capture each stakeholder and their position and influence on decisions and outcomes of the project. |
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Term
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Definition
| A technique of systematically gathering and analyzing quantitative and qualitative information to determine whose interests should be taken into account throughout the project. |
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Term
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Definition
| A project document including the identification, assessment, and classification of project stakeholders. |
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Term
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Definition
| A stakeholder is any person, group, or entity that may be affected positively or negatively by the outcome of the program. Technically this may include passive stakeholders that are interested in your program but aren’t directly affected by its outcome. Stakeholder management is the balance of stakeholder identification, communication, leadership, trade-offs, competing objectives, and prioritization of needs and demands. |
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Term
| stakeholder management plan |
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Definition
| A plan the defines how the program manager will manage the program stakeholders through communications, involvement, marketing of the program, and strategies to address perceived stakeholder threats and concerns regarding the program. |
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Term
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Definition
| An individual, group, or organization who may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project. |
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Term
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Definition
| A document that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines, or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context. |
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Term
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Definition
| A point in time associated with a schedule activity's start, usually qualified by one of the following: actual, planned, estimated, scheduled, early, late, target, baseline, or current. |
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Term
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Definition
| A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has started. |
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Term
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Definition
| A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has started. |
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Term
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Definition
| Defines all of the details of the program and is sent to the prospective vendors from the client. The SOW allows the vendors to understand the request of the client and to create a quote, bid, or proposal based on the SOW. |
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Term
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Definition
| Choosing part of a population of interest for inspection. |
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Term
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Definition
| A subdivision (fragment) of a project schedule network diagram, usually representing a subproject or a work package. Often used to illustrate or study some potential or proposed schedule condition, such as changes in preferential schedule logic or project scope. |
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Term
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Definition
| A smaller portion of the overall project created when a project is subdivided into more manageable components or pieces. |
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Term
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Definition
| A dependent activity that logically comes after another activity in a schedule. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A group of related schedule activities aggregated and displayed as a single activity. |
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Term
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Definition
| Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization, project, or option. |
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Term
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Definition
| The act of carefully selecting process and related inputs and outputs contained within the PMBOK® Guide to determine a subset of specific processes that will be included within a project's overall management approach. |
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Term
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Definition
| Developing the program team so that their competency levels are in alignment with the responsibilities they have been tasked with in the program. |
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Term
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Definition
| A defined systematic procedure employed by a human resource to perform an activity to produce a product or result or deliver a service, and that may employ one or more tools. |
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Term
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Definition
| A partially complete document in a predefined format that provides a defined structure for collecting, organizing, and presenting information and data. |
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Term
| The Standard for Program Management |
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Definition
| A PMI publication that defines the generally accepted practices of project management. |
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Term
| Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis |
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Definition
| This technique utilizes a decision matrix to provide a systematic analytical approach for establishing criteria, such as risk levels, uncertainty, and valuation, to evaluate and rank many ideas. |
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Term
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Definition
| A risk that would have a negative effect on one or more project objectives. |
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Term
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Definition
| A technique used to estimate cost or duration by applying an average of optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely estimates when there is uncertainty with the individual activity estimates. |
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Term
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Definition
| A cost, time, quality, technical, or resource value used as a parameter, and which may be included in product specifications. Crossing the threshold should trigger some action, such as generating an exception report. |
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Term
| Time and Material Contract (T&M) |
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Definition
| A type of contract that is a hybrid contractual arrangement containing aspects of both cost-reimbursable and fixed-price contracts. Time and material contracts resemble cost-reimbursable type arrangements in that they have no definitive end, because the full value of the arrangement is not defined at the time of the award. Thus, time and material contracts can grow in contract value as if they were cost-reimbursable-type arrangements. Conversely, time and material arrangements can also resemble fixed-price arrangements. For example, the unit rates are preset by the buyer and seller, when both parties agree on the rates for the category of senior engineers. |
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Term
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Definition
| A contract that defines how the vendor will bill the client for the time spent on the program and for the materials; must have a not-to-exceed clause. |
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Term
| Time-Scaled Schedule Network Diagram |
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Definition
| Any project schedule network diagram drawn in such a way that the positioning and length of the schedule activity represents its duration. Essentially, it is a bar chart that includes schedule network logic. |
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Term
| To-Complete Performance Index (TCPI) |
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Definition
| A measure of the cost performance that is required to be 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. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The quantified description of acceptable variation for a quality requirement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Something tangible, such as a template or software program, used in performing an activity to produce a product or result. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A special type of bar chart used in sensitivity analysis for comparing the relative importance of the variables. |
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Term
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Definition
| 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. |
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Definition
| This risk response is usually based on a contractual relationship with a vendor. |
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Definition
| This process (thankfully) aims to define how the program’s deliverables will be transferred from the program ownership to the organizational operations. |
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Definition
| A systematic diagram of a decomposition hierarchy used to visualize as parent-to-child relationships a systematic set of rules. |
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Definition
| An analytical technique that uses mathematical models to forecast future outcomes based on historical results. It is a method of determining the variance from a baseline of a budget, cost, schedule, or scope parameter by using prior progress reporting periods' data and projecting how much that parameter's variance from baseline might be at some future point in the project if no changes are made in executing the project. |
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Definition
| A warning sign or condition that a risk event is pending. |
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Definition
| An event or situation that indicates that a risk is about to occur. |
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Definition
| Agreement by everyone in the group on a single course of action. |
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Definition
| A way in which something is useful. It allows program managers to quantify the usefulness of different attributes of a program and its projects. |
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Definition
| The process of formalizing acceptance of the completed project deliverables. |
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Definition
| Deliverables that are result of executing quality control process to determine correctness. |
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Definition
| The assurance that a product, service, or system meets the needs of the customer and other identified stakeholders. It often involves acceptance and suitability with external customers. Contrast with verification. |
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Definition
| 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. |
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Definition
| A technique for determining the cause and degree of difference between the baseline and actual performance. |
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Term
| Variance At Completion (VAC) |
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Definition
| A projection of the amount of budget deficit or surplus, expressed as the difference between the budget at completion and the estimate at completion. |
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Definition
| A quantifiable deviation, departure, or divergence away from a known baseline or expected value. |
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Definition
| An actual condition that is different from the expected condition that is contained in the baseline plan. |
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Definition
| A measure of a team's productivity rate at which the deliverables are produced, validated, and accepted within a predefined interval. Velocity is a capacity planning approach frequently used to forecast future project work. |
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Definition
| The evaluation of whether or not a product, service, or system complies with a regulation, requirement, specification, or imposed condition. It is often an internal process. Contrast with validation. |
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Definition
| A planning technique used to provide products, services, and results that truly reflect customer requirements by translating those customer requirements into the appropriate technical requirements for each phase of project product development. |
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Definition
| A document that provides detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about each component in the work breakdown structure. |
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Term
| Weighted Milestone Method |
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Definition
| An earned value method that divides a work package into measurable segments, each ending with an observable milestone, and then assigns a weighted value to the achievement of each milestone. |
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Term
| What-If Scenario Analysis |
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Definition
| The process of evaluating scenarios in order to predict their effect on project objectives. |
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Term
| Work Authorization System |
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Definition
| A subsystem of the overall project management system. It is a collection of formal documented procedures that defines how project work will be authorized (committed) to ensure that the work is done by the identified organization, at the right time, and in the proper sequence. It includes the steps, documents, tracking system, and defined approval levels needed to issue work authorizations. |
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Term
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Definition
| A permission and direction, typically written, to begin work on a specific schedule activity or work package or control account. It is a method for sanctioning project work to ensure that the work is done by the identified organization, at the right time, and in the proper sequence. |
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Term
| Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) |
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Definition
| 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. |
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Term
| Work Breakdown Structure Component |
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Definition
| An entry in the work breakdown structure that can be at any level. |
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Definition
| The work defined at the lowest level of the work breakdown structure for which cost and duration can be estimated and managed. |
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Definition
| The raw observations and measurements identified during activities being performed to carry out the project work. |
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Term
| Work Performance Information |
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Definition
| The performance data collected from various controlling processes, analyzed in context and integrated based on relationships across areas. |
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Definition
| The physical or electronic representation of work performance information compiled in project documents, intended to generate decisions, actions, or awareness |
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Definition
| A response to a threat that has occurred, for which a prior response had not been planned or was not effective |
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Definition
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Definition
| actual cost of work performed |
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| critical path methodology |
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| firm fixed price contract |
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Definition
| failure mode and effect analysis |
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Definition
| fixed price with economic price adjustment |
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Definition
| fixed price incentive fee |
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Definition
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Definition
| organizational breakdown structure |
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Definition
| precedence diagramming method |
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Definition
| Project Management Body of Knowledge |
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Definition
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Definition
| quality function deployment |
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Definition
| responsible, accountable, consult, and inform |
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Definition
| responsibility assignment matrix |
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Definition
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Definition
| schedule performance index |
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Definition
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Definition
| strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats |
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Definition
| time and material contract |
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