PMP - Vocabulary
WBS dictionary
A WBS companion document that defines all of the characteristics of each element within the WBS.
Planning package
A WBS entry located below a control account and above the work packages. This package signifies that there is more planning that needs to be completed for this specific deliverable.
Control account
A WBS entry that considers the time, cost, and scope measurements for that deliverable within the WBS. The estimated performance is compared against the actual performance to measure overall performance for the deliverables within that category. The plan is called ______________________. High level category of planning package. Ex Kitchen with budget of 75k.
Future value
A benefit comparison model to determine a future value of money. The formula to n calculate future value is FV = PV(1 + I)^n , where PV is present value, I is the given interest rate, and n is the number of periods.
Present value
A benefit comparison model to determine the present value of a future amount of money. The formula to calculate present nvalue is PV = FV ÷ (1 + i)^n , where FV is future value, I is the given interest rate, and n is the number of periods.
Project management office (PMO)
A business unit that centralizes the operations and procedures of all projects within the organization. The PMO can be supportive, controlling, or directive.
Project management office (PMO)
A central office that oversees all projects within an organization or within a functional department. This office supports the project manager through software, training, templates, policies, communication, dispute resolution, and other services.
Process groups
A collection of related processes in project management. There are five domain groups and 49 project management processes. The five domains are Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.
Program
A collection of related projects working in unison toward a common deliverable.
Change control board (CCB)
A committee that evaluates the worthiness of a proposed change and either approves or rejects the proposed change.
Rule of Seven
A component of a control chart that illustrates the results of seven measurements on one side of the mean, which is considered "out of control" in the project.
Contingency reserve
A contingency allowance to account for overruns in costs. Contingency allowances are used at the project manager's discretion and with management's approval to counteract cost overruns for scheduled activities and known risk events.
Commercial database
A cost-estimating approach that uses a database, typically software-driven, to create the cost estimate for a project.
Matrix diagram
A data analysis table that shows the strength between variables and relationships in the matrix.
Brain writing
A data gathering technique that's similar to brainstorming, but provides brainstorming meeting participants with the questions and topics for brainstorming before the stakeholder identification meeting.
Autocratic
A decision method where only one individual makes the decision for the group.
Work breakdown structure (WBS)
A deliverables-oriented breakdown of the project scope.
Flowchart
A diagram illustrating how components within a system are related. This chart show the relation between components, as well as help the project team determine where quality issues may be present and, once done, plan accordingly.
Project network diagram
A diagram that visualizes the flow of the project activities and their relationships to other project activities.
Stakeholder register
A documentation of each stakeholder's contact information, position, concerns, interests, and attitude toward the project. The project manager updates the register as new stakeholders are identified and when stakeholders leave the project.
Project benefits management plan
A documented created and maintained by the project sponsor and the project manager. This plan defines what benefits the project will create, when the benefits will be realized, and how the benefits will be measured.
Variance at completion (VAC)
A forecasting formula that predicts how much of a variance the project will likely have based on current conditions within the project. The formula is VAC = BAC - EAC.
To-Complete Performance Index
A formula to forecast the likelihood of a project to achieve its goals based on what's happening in the project right now. There are two different flavors for the TCPI, depending on what you want to accomplish. If you want to see if your project can meet the budget at completion, you'll use this formula: TCPI = (BAC - EV)/(BAC - AC). If you want to see if your project can meet the newly created estimate at completion, you'll use this version of the formula: TCPI = (BAC - EV)/(EAC - AC).
Unanimity
A group decision method where everyone must be in agreement.
Majority
A group decision method where more than 50 percent of the group must be in agreement.
Plurality
A group-decision method where the largest part of the group makes the decision when it's less than 50 percent of the total. (Consider three or four factions within the stakeholders.)
Pareto diagram
A histogram that illustrates and ranks categories of failure within a project.
Quality assurance
A management process that defines the quality system or quality policy that a project must adhere to. QA aims to plan quality into the project rather than to inspect quality into a deliverable.
Oligopoly
A market condition where the market is so tight that the actions of one vendor affect the actions of all the others.
Regression analysis
A mathematical model to examine the relationship among project variables, like cost, time, labor, and other project metrics.
Resource-leveling heuristic
A method to flatten the schedule when resources are over-allocated. This rule can be applied using different methods to accomplish different goals. One of the most common methods is to ensure that workers are not overextended on activities.
Focus groups
A moderator-led requirements collection method to elicit requirements from stakeholders.
Precedence diagramming method
A network diagram that shows activities in nodes and the relationship between each activity. Predecessors come before the current activity, and successors come after the current activity.
Code of accounts
A numbering system for each item in the WBS. The PMBOK is a good example of this, as each chapter and its subheadings follow a logical numbering scheme. For example, PMBOK 5.3.3.2 identifies an exact paragraph in the PMBOK.
Management reserve
A percentage of the project duration to combat Parkinson's Law. When project activities become late, their lateness is subtracted from this reserve.
Project Management Professional (PMP)
A person who has proven project management experience and has qualified for and then passed the PMP examination.
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
A person who has slightly less project management experience than a PMP, but who has qualified for and then passed the CAPM examination.
8/80 Rule
A planning heuristic for creating the WBS. This rule states that the work package in a WBS must take no more than 80 hours of labor to create and no fewer than 8 hours of labor to create.
Control threshold
A predetermined range of acceptable variances, such as +/-10 percent off schedule. Should the variance exceed the threshold, then project control processes and corrected actions will be enacted.
WBS template
A prepopulated WBS for repetitive projects. Previous projects' WBSs are often used as templates for current similar projects.
Template
A previous project that can be adapted for the current project and forms that are pre-populated with organizational-specific information.
Statistical sampling
A process of choosing a percentage of results at random. For example, a project creating a medical device may have 20 percent of all units randomly selected to check for quality.
Integrated change control
A process to consider and control the impact of a proposed change on the project's knowledge areas.
Cost-benefit analysis
A process to study the trade-offs between costs and the benefits realized from those costs.
Deliverable
A product, service, or result created by a project. Projects can have multiple deliverables.
Stakeholder identification
A project initiation activity to identify, document, and classify the project stakeholders as early as possible in the project.
Mathematical model
A project selection method to determine the likelihood of success. These models include linear programming, nonlinear programming, dynamic programming, integer programming, and multi-objective programming.
Control chart
A quality control chart that maps the performance of project work over time.
Run chart
A quality control tool that shows the results of inspection in the order in which they've occurred. The goal of this chart is first to demonstrate the results of a process over time and then to use trend analysis to predict when certain trends may reemerge.
Scatter diagram
A quality control tool that tracks the relationship between two variables over time. The two variables are considered related the closer they track against a diagonal line.
Business value
A quantifiable return on investment. The return can be tangible, such as equipment, money, or market share. The return can also be intangible, such as brand recognition, trademarks, and reputation.
Parametric estimate
A quantitatively based duration estimate that uses mathematical formulas to predict how long an activity will take based on the quantities of work to be completed.
Fragnet
A representation of a project network diagram that is often used for outsourced portions of a project, repetitive work within a project, or a subproject. Also called a subnet.
Subnet
A representation of a project network diagram that is often used for outsourced portions of projects, repetitive work within a project, or a subproject. Also called a fragnet.
Interviews
A requirements collection method used to elicit requirements from stakeholders in a one-on-one conversation.
Crashing
A schedule compression approach that adds more resources to activities on the critical path to complete the project earlier. When this is done, costs are added because the associated labor and sometimes resources (such as faster equipment) cause costs to increase.
Fast tracking
A schedule compression method that changes the relationship of activities. With this method, activities that would normally be done in sequence are allowed to be done in parallel or with some overlap. It can be accomplished by changing the relation of activities from FS to SS or even FF or by adding lead time to downstream activities. However, this method does add risk to the project.
Systems analysis
A scope definition approach that studies and analyzes a system, its components, and the relationship of the components within the system.
Alternatives generation
A scope definition process of finding alternative solutions for the project customer while considering thecustomer's satisfaction, the cost of the solution, and how the customer may use the product in operations.
Stakeholder analysis
A scope definition process where the project management team interviews the stakeholders and categorizes, prioritizes, and documents what the project customer wants and needs. The analysis is to determine, quantify, and prioritize the interests of the stakeholders. This analysis demands quantification of stakeholder objectives; goals such as "good," "satisfaction," and "speedy" aren't quantifiable.
Product breakdown
A scope definition technique that breaks down a product into a hierarchical structure, much like a WBS breaks down a project scope.
Checklist
A simple approach to ensure that work is completed according to the quality policy.
Subprojects
A smaller project managed within a larger, parent project. Subprojects are often contracted work whose deliverable allows the larger project to progress.
Analogous estimating
A somewhat unreliable estimating approach that relies on historical information to predict what current activity durations should be. This estimating approach is more reliable, however, than team member recollections. It is also known as top-down estimating and is a form of expert judgment.
Negative stakeholder
A stakeholder who does not want the project to exist and is opposed to the project.
Neutral stakeholder
A stakeholder who has neither a positive nor negative attitude about the project's existence.
Positive stakeholder
A stakeholder who sees the benefits of the project and is in favor of the change the project is to bring about.
Schedule management plan
A subsidiary plan in the project management plan. It defines how the project schedule will be created, estimated, controlled, and managed.
Organizational System
A system can create things by working with multiple components that the individual components could not create if they worked alone. The structure of the organization and the governance framework creates constraints that affect how the project manager makes decisions within the project. This directly affects how the project manager utilizes their power, influence, leadership, and even political capital, to get things done in the environment.
Cost change control system
A system that examines any changes associated with scope changes, the cost of materials, and the cost of any other resources, and the associated impact on the overall project cost.
Project
A temporary endeavor to create a unique product, service, or result. The end result of a project is also called a deliverable.
Parkinson's Law
A theory that states: "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." It is considered with time estimating, because bloated or padded activity estimates will fill the amount of time allotted to the activity.
Cost baseline
A time-lapse exposure of when the project monies are to be spent in relation to cumulative values of the work completed in the project.
Iron Triangle of Project Management
A triangle with the characteristics of time, cost, and scope. Time, cost, and scope each constitute one side of the triangle; if any side of the triangle is not in balance with the other sides, the project will suffer. This triangle is also known as the Triple Constraints of Project Management, as all projects are constrained by time, cost, and scope.
Quality
According to ASQ, the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.
Change log
All changes that enter into a project are recorded in the ____________. The characteristics of the change, such as the time, cost, risk, and scope details, are also recorded.
Triple Constraints of Project Management
Also known as the Iron Triangle. This theory posits that time, cost, and scope are three constraints that every project has.
Start-to-finish
An activity relationship that requires an activity to start so that its successor can finish. This is the most unusual of all the activity relationship types.
Finish-to-finish
An activity relationship type that requires the current activity to be finished before its successor can finish.
Finish-to-start
An activity relationship type that requires the current activity to be finished before its successor can start.
Start-to-start
An activity relationship type that requires the current activity to start before its successor can start.
Stakeholder analysis
An activity that ranks stakeholders based on their influence, interests, and expectations of the project. Stakeholders are identified and ranked, and then their needs and expectations are documented and addressed.
Learning curve
An approach that assumes the cost per unit decreases the more units workers complete, because workers learn as they complete the required work.
Analogous estimating
An approach that relies on historical information to predict the cost of the current project. It is also known as top- down estimating and is the least reliable of all the cost-estimating approaches.
Design of experiments
An approach that relies on statistical scenarios to determine what variables within a project will result in the best outcome.
Parametric estimating
An approach using a parametric model to extrapolate what costs will be needed for a project (for example, cost per hour and cost per unit). It can include variables and points based on conditions.
Assumption log
An assumption is something that is believed to be true or false, but it has not yet been proven to be true or false. Assumptions that prove wrong can become risks for the project. All identified project assumptions are recorded in the ____________ for testing and analysis, and the outcomes are recorded.
Estimate to complete (ETC)
An earned value management formula that predicts how much funding the project will require to be completed. Three variations of this formula are based on conditions the project may be experiencing.
Three-point estimate
An estimate technique for each activity that requires optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic estimates to be created. Based on these estimates, an average can be created to predict how long the activity should take.
Payback period
An estimate to predict how long it will take a project to pay back an organization for the project's investment of capital.
Bottom-up estimating
An estimating approach that starts from zero, accounts for each component of the WBS, and arrives at a sum for the project. It is completed with the project team and can be one of the most time- consuming and most reliable methods to predict project costs.
Known unknown
An event that will likely happen within the project, but when it will happen and to what degree is unknown. These events, such as delays, are usually risk-related.
Control quality
An inspection-driven process that measures work results to confirm that the project is meeting the relevant quality standards.
Project Management Institute (PMI)
An organization of project management professionals from around the world, supporting and promoting the careers, values, and concerns of project managers.
Project oriented structure
An organization that assigns a project team to one project for the duration of the project life cycle. The project manager has high-to-almost-complete project power.
Hybrid structure
An organization that creates a blend of the functional, matrix, and project- oriented structures.
Functional structure
An organization that is divided into functions, and each employee has one clear functional manager. Each department acts independently of the other departments. A project manager in this structure has little to no power and may be called a project coordinator.
Balanced matrix structure
An organization where organizational resources are pooled into one project team, but the functional managers and the project managers share the project power.
Strong matrix structure
An organization where organizational resources are pooled into one project team, but the functional managers have less project power than the project manager.
Weak matrix structure
An organization where organizational resources are pooled into one project team, but the functional managers have more project power than the project manager.
Funding limit reconciliation
An organization's approach to managing cash flow against the project deliverables based on a schedule, milestone accomplishment, or data constraints.
Refinement
An update to the work breakdown structure.
Stakeholder
Anyone who is affected by the existence of the project or who can affect the project's existence. They can enter and exit the project as conditions change within the project.
External dependencies
As the name implies, these are dependencies outside of the project's control. Examples include the delivery of equipment from a vendor, the deliverable of another project, or the decision of a committee, lawsuit, or expected new law.
Nominal group technique
As with brainstorming, participants are encouraged to generate as many ideas as possible, but the suggested ideas are ranked by a voting process.
Value analysis
As with value engineering, this approach examines the functions of the project's product in relation to the cost of the features and functions. This is where, to some extent, the grade of the product is in relationship to the cost of the product.
Internal QA
Assurance provided to management and the project team.
External QA
Assurance provided to the external customers of the project.
media selection
Based on the audience and the message being sent, the media should be in alignment with the message.
Resource calendars
Calendars that identify when project resources are available for the project work.
Project calendars
Calendars that identify when the project work will occur.
sender receiver models
Communication requires a sender and a receiver. Within this model may be multiple avenues to complete the flow of communication, but barriers to effective communication may be present as well.
Benchmarking
Comparing any two similar entities to measure their performance.
Enterprise environmental factors
Conditions that affect how the project manager may manage the project. These factors come from within the project, such as policy, or they be external to the organization, such as law or regulation.
Direct costs
Costs are attributed directly to the project work and cannot be shared among projects (for example, airfare, hotels, long-distance phone charges, and so on).
Cost aggregation
Costs are parallel to each WBS work package. The costs of each work package are aggregated to their corresponding control accounts. Each control account then is aggregated to the sum of the project costs.
Indirect costs
Costs that are representative of more than one project (for example, utilities for the performing organization, access to a training room, project management software license, and so on).
Variable costs
Costs that change based on the conditions applied in the project (the number of meeting participants, the supply of and demand for materials, and so on).
Fixed costs
Costs that remain constant throughout the life of the project (the cost of a piece of rented equipment for the project, the cost of a consultant brought on to the project, and so on).
Project business case
Created and maintained by the project sponsor and shows the financial validity of why a project is chartered and launched within the organization. Typically, the project business case is created before the launch of the project and may be used as a go/no-go decision point.
Cultural and social environment
Defines how a project affects people and how those people may affect the project. This environment includes the economic, educational, ethical, religious, demographic, and ethnic composition of the people affected by the project.
Schedule management plan
Defines how the project schedule will be created and managed.
Project scope management plan
Defines how the project scope will be planned, managed, and controlled.
Product scope
Defines the product or service that will come about as a result of completing the project. It defines the features and functions that characterize the product.
PMI Talent Triangle
Defines three areas of PDUs for PMI certified professionals to maintain their certification. This triangle includes technical project management, leadership, and strategic and business management.
Multidivisional structure
Describe organizations that have duplication of efforts within the organization, but not within each department or division of the organization. Project manager has little authority in this structure and the functional manager controls the project budget.
Organic or simple
Describes a loosely organized business or organization. There likely aren't big formal departments and people work alongside one another regardless of roles and titles. The project manager likely has little control over the project resources and may not be called a project manager.
Cause-and-effect diagrams
Diagrams that show the relationship between variables within a process and how those relationships may contribute to inadequate quality. The diagrams can help organize both the process and team opinions, as well as generate discussion on finding a solution to ensure quality.
Change control system (CCS)
Documented in the scope management plan, this system defines how changes to the project scope are managed and controlled.
Quality baseline
Documents the quality objectives for the project, including the metrics for stakeholder acceptance of the project deliverable.
Net present value
Evaluates the monies returned on a project for each period the project lasts.
System or process flowcharts
Flowcharts that illustrate the flow of a process through a system, such as a project change request through the change control system, or work authorization through a quality control process.
presentation
In formal presentations, the presenter's oral and body language, visual aids, and handouts all influence the message being delivered.
Internal dependencies
Internal relationships to the project or the organization. For example, the project team must create the software as part of the project's deliverable before the software can be tested for quality control.
Issue log
Issues are points of contention where some question of the project's direction needs to be resolved. All identified issues are documented in the _____________, along with an issue owner and a deadline to resolve the issue. The outcome of the issue is also recorded.
Explicit knowledge
Knowledge that can be quickly and easily expressed through conversations, documentation, figures, or numbers, is easily communicated.
tacit knowledge
Knowledge that's more difficult to express because it's personal beliefs, values, knowledge gain from experience, and "know-how" when doing a task.
Hard logic
Logic that describes activities that must happen in a particular order. For example, the dirt must be excavated before the foundation can be built. The foundation must be in place before the framing can begin. Also known as a mandatory dependency.
Single source
Many vendors can provide what your project needs to purchase, but you prefer to work with a specific vendor.
Cost performance index (CPI)
Measures the project based on its financial performance. The formula is CPI = EV/AC.
Schedule performance index (SPI)
Measures the project based on its schedule performance. The formula is SPI = EV/PV.
meeting management
Meetings are forms of communication. How the meeting is led, managed, and controlled all influence the message being delivered. Agendas, minutes, and order are mandatory for effective communications within a meeting.
Sunk costs
Monies that have already been invested in a project. AKA actual costs (AC)
Funding limit
Most projects have a determined budget in relation to the project scope. There may be a qualifier on this budget, such as plus or minus 10 percent based on the type of cost estimate created.
Lead time
Negative time that allows two or more activities to overlap where ordinarily these activities would be sequential.
Sole source
Only one vendor can provide what your project needs to purchase. Examples include a specific consultant, specialized service, or unique type of material.
Leading stakeholder status
Part of stakeholder analysis classification. A leading stakeholder is aware of your project, they want your project to be successful, and the stakeholder is working to make certain the project is a success.
Neutral stakeholder status
Part of stakeholder analysis classification. A neutral stakeholder is aware of your project and is not concerned if the project succeeds or fails.
Resistant stakeholder status
Part of stakeholder analysis classification. A resistant stakeholder is aware of your project, but they do not support the changes your project will create.
Unaware stakeholder status
Part of stakeholder analysis classification. An unaware status means the stakeholder doesn't know about the project and the effect the project may create on the stakeholder.
Lag time
Positive time that moves two or more activities further apart.
Work performance data
Raw data, observations, and measurements about project components. This is gathered and stored in the project management information system.
Risk management plan
Risk is an uncertain event or condition that may affect the project outcome. This plan defines how the project will manage risk.
Key stakeholder
Stakeholders—such as management, the project manager, program manager, or customers—that have the authority to make decisions in the project.
Work performance information
Status of the deliverables: the work that's been started, finished, or has yet to begin.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)
The PMI publication that defines widely accepted project management practices. The CAPM and the PMP exam are based on this book.
Change control system (CCS)
The ____________ communicates the process for controlling changes to the project deliverables. This system works with the configuration management system and seeks to control and document proposals to change the project's product.
Risk register
The ____________ is a centralized database consisting of the outcome of all the other risk management processes, such as the outcome of risk identification, qualitative analysis, and quantitative analysis.
Scope baseline
The ____________ is a combination of three project documents: the project scope statement, the work breakdown structure, and the WBS dictionary. The creation of the project deliverable will be measured against the ____________ to show any variances from what was expected and what the project team has created.
Procurement management plan
The ____________ plan controls how the project will acquire goods and services.
ISO
The abbreviation for the International Organization for Standardization. ___ is Greek for "equal," while "International Organization for Standardization" in a different language would be abbreviated differently. The organization elected to use "___" for all languages.
Interpersonal skills
The ability to interact, lead, motivate, and manage people.
Soft logic
The activities don't necessarily have to happen in a specific order. For example, you could install the light fixtures first, then the carpet, and then paint the room. The project manager could use this logic to change the order of the activities if so desired.
Actual cost (AC)
The actual amount of monies the project has spent to date. AKA sunk cost
Reserve analysis
The analysis for needed cost reserves are for unknown unknowns within a project. The management reserve is not part of the project cost baseline, but is included as part of the project budget.
Application areas
The areas of expertise, industry, or function where a project is centered. Examples include architecture, IT, health care, and manufacturing.
International and political environment
The consideration of the local and international laws, languages, communication challenges, time zone differences, and other non-collocated issues that affect a project's ability to progress.
Cost budgeting
The cost aggregation achieved by assigning specific dollar amounts for each of the scheduled activities or, more likely, for each of the work packages in the WBS. This applies the cost estimates over time by allocating funds and understanding project financials.
Cost of nonconformance to quality
The cost associated with not satisfying quality expectations. This is also known as the cost of poor quality.
Schedule variance (SV)
The difference between the earned value and the planned value. The formulas is SV = EV - PV.
Variance
The difference between what was expected and what was experienced.
Cost variance (CV)
The difference of the earned value amount and the cumulative actual costs of the project. The formula is CV = EV - AC.
Project management plan
The documented approach of how a project will be planned, executed, monitored and controlled, and then closed. This document is a collection of subsidiary management plans and related documents.
Early start
The earliest a project activity can begin. Used in the forward pass procedure to discover the critical path and the project float.
Early finish
The earliest a project activity can finish. Used in the forward pass procedure to discover the critical path and the project float.
Project variance
The final variance, which is discovered only at the project's completion. The formula is VAR = BAC - AC.
Scope validation
The formal inspection of the project deliverables, which leads to project acceptance.
Contract closure
The formal verification of the contract completeness by the vendor and the performing organization.
Alternative analysis
The identification of more than one solution. Consider roles, materials, tools, and approaches to the project work.
Rolling wave planning
The imminent work is planned in detail, while the work in the future is planned at a high level. This is a form of progressive elaboration.
informational power
The individual has power and control of the data gathering and distribution of information.
Late start
The latest a project activity can begin. Used in the backward pass procedure to discover the critical path and the project float.
Late finish
The latest a project activity can finish. Used in the backward pass procedure to discover the critical path and the project float.
transactional leadership
The leader emphasizes the goals of the project and rewards and disincentives for the project team. This is sometimes called management by exception as it's the exception that is reward or punished.
transformational leadership
The leader inspires and motivates the project team to achieve the project goals. These leaders aim to empower the project team to act, be innovative in the project work, and accomplish through ambition.
interactional leadership
The leader is a hybrid of transactional, transformational, and charismatic leaders. The interactional leader wants the team to act, is excited and inspired about the project work, yet still holds the team accountable for their results.
charismatic leadership
The leader is motivating, has high- energy, and inspires the team through strong convictions about what's possible and what the team can achieve. Positive thinking and a can-do mentality are characteristics of this kind of leader
servant leadership
The leader puts others first and focuses on the needs of the people he serves. These leaders provide opportunity for growth, education, autonomy within the project, and the well-being of others. The primary focus of this leadership is service to others.
laissez-faire leadership
The leader takes a "hands-off" approach to the project. This means the project team makes decisions, takes initiative in the actions, and creates goals. While this approach can provide autonomy, it can make the leader appear absent when it comes to project decisions.
Project environment
The location and culture of the environment where the project work will reside. This includes the social, economic, and environmental variables the project must work with or around.
Project portfolio management
The management and selection of projects that support an organization's vision and mission. It is the balance of project priority, risk, reward, and return on investment. This is a senior management process.
active listening
The message receiver restates what's been said to fully understand and confirm the message and it provides an opportunity for the sender to clarify the message if needed.
Cost of quality
The monies spent to attain the expected level of quality within a project. Examples include training, testing, and safety precautions.
Cost of poor quality
The monies spent to recover from not adhering to the expected level of quality. Examples may include rework, defect repair, loss of life or limb because safety precautions were not taken, loss of sales, and loss of customers. This is also known as the cost of nonconformance to quality.
Bottom-up estimating
The most accurate time-and-cost estimating approach a project manager can use. This estimating approach starts at "the bottom" of the project and considers every activity, its predecessor and successor activities, and the exact amount of resources needed to complete each activity.
Active observation
The observer interacts with the worker to ask questions and understand each step of the work being completed. In some instances, the observer could serve as an assistant in doing the work.
Passive observation
The observer records information about the work being completed without interrupting the process; sometimes called the invisible observer.
Quality metrics
The operational definitions that specify the measurements within a project and the expected targets for quality and performance.
Configuration status accounting
The organization of the product materials, details, and prior product documentation.
Critical path
The path in the project network diagram that cannot be delayed, otherwise the project completion date will be late. There can be more than one critical path. Activities in the critical path have no float.
Project Life Cycle
The phases that make up the project. These are unique to the type of work being performed and are not universal to all projects.
Physical environment
The physical structure and surroundings that affect a project's work.
Activity list
The primary output of breaking down the WBS work packages.
Quality planning
The process of first determining which quality standards are relevant to your project and then finding out the best methods of adhering to those quality standards.
Progressive elaboration
The process of gathering project details. This process uses deductive reasoning, logic, and a series of information- gathering techniques to identify details about a project, product, or solution.
Schedule milestones
The project customer may have specific dates when phases of the project should be completed. These are often treated as project constraints.
Stakeholder management
The project management knowledge area that focuses on the management and engagement of the project stakeholders. There are four processes in this knowledge area: identify stakeholders, plan stakeholder management, manage stakeholder engagement, and Monitor Stakeholder Engagement.
ingratiating power
The project manager aims to gain favor with the project team and stakeholders through flattery.
guilt based power
The project manager can make the team and stakeholders feel guilty to gain compliance in the project.
punitive or coercive power
The project manager can punish the project team.
pressure based power
The project manager can restrict choices to get the project team to perform and do the project work.
reward power
The project manager can reward the project team.
personal or charismatic power
The project manager has a warm personality that others like.
expert power
The project manager has deep skills and experience in a discipline (for example, years of working in IT helps an IT project manager better manage IT projects).
situational power
The project manager has power because of certain situations in the organization.
referent power
The project manager is respected or admired because of the team's past experiences with the project manager. This is about the project manager's credibility in the organization.
avoiding power
The project manager refuses to act, get involved, or make decisions.
Stakeholder engagement
The project manager works to keep the project stakeholders interested, involved, and supportive of the project. Through communication, management skills, and interpersonal skills, the project manager can work to keep the project stakeholders engaged and interested in the project.
Stakeholder engagement planning
The project manager works with the project team and subject matter experts to create a strategy to manage the project stakeholders.
Positional Power
The project manager's power is because of the position she has as the project manager. This is also known as formal, authoritative, and legitimate power.
Work performance information
The results of the project work as needed. This includes technical performance measures, project status, information on what the project has created to date, corrective actions, and performance reports.
project manager
The role of leading the project team and managing the project resources to effectively achieve the objectives of the project.
Trend analysis
The science of using past results to predict future performance.
Configuration verification and auditing
The scope verification and completeness auditing of project or phase deliverables to ensure that they are in alignment with the project plan.
Work package
The smallest item in the WBS.
Work package
The smallest item in the work breakdown structure.
style
The tone, structure, and formality of the message being sent should be in alignment with the audience and the content of the message.
Opportunity cost
The total cost of the opportunity that is refused to realize an opposing opportunity.
Stakeholder classification models
These are charts and diagrams that help the project manager determine the influence of stakeholders in relation to their interest in the project. Common classification models include the power/interest grid, the power/influence grid, the influence/impact grid, and the salience model.
Murder boards
These are committees that ask every conceivable negative question about the proposed project. Their goals are to expose the project's strengths and weaknesses, and to kill the project if it's deemed unworthy for the organization to commit to. Also known as project steering committees or project selection committees.
Project requirements
These are the demands set by the customer, regulations, or the performing organization that must exist for the project deliverables to be acceptable. Requirements are often prioritized in a number of ways, from "must have" to "should have" to "would like to have."
Work performance reports
These are the formatted communication of work performance information. They what's happening in the project through status reports, memos, dashboards, or other modalities.
Project objectives
These are the measurable goals that determine a project's acceptability to the project customer and the overall success of the project. Objectives often include the cost, schedule, technical requirements, and quality demands.
Mandatory dependencies
These dependencies are the natural order of activities. For example, you can't begin building your house until your foundation is in place. These relationships are called hard logic.
Discretionary dependencies
These dependencies are the preferred order of activities. Project managers should use these relationships at their discretion and should document the logic behind the decision. These allow activities to happen in a preferred order because of best practices, conditions unique to the project work, or external events. Also known as preferential or soft logic.
Activity network diagram
These diagrams, such as the project network diagram, show the flow of the project work.
Estimate at completion (EAC)
These forecasting formulas predict the likely completed costs of the project based on current scenarios within the project.
General management skills
These include the application of accounting, procurement, sales and marketing, contracting, manufacturing, logistics, strategic planning, human resource management, standards and regulations, and information technology.
Scoring models
These models use a common set of values for all of the projects up for selection. For example, values can be profitability, complexity, customer demand, and so on.
Organizational Knowledge Repositories
These repositories are the databases, files, and historical information that you can use to help better plan and manage your projects. This is an organizational process asset that is created internally to your organization through the ongoing work of operations and other projects.
Seven basic quality tools
These seven tools are used in quality planning and in quality control: cause-and-effect diagrams, flowcharts, check sheets, Pareto diagrams, histograms, control charts, and scatter diagrams.
Professional Development Units (PDUs)
These units are earned after the PMP to maintain the PMP certification. PMPs are required to earn 60 units per three-year certification cycle. Of the 60 units, a minimum of 35 hours must come from educational opportunities.
Brainstorming
This approach encourages participants to generate as many ideas as possible about the project requirements. No idea is judged or dismissed during the session.
Mind mapping
This approach maps ideas to show the relationship among requirements and the differences between requirements. The map can be reviewed to identify new solutions or to rank the identified requirements.
Value engineering
This approach to project scope statement creation attempts to find the correct level of quality in relation to a reasonable budget for the project deliverable while still achieving an acceptable level of performance of the product.
Project boundaries
This boundary clearly states what is included with the project and what's excluded from the project. This helps to eliminate assumptions between the project management team and the project customer.
Project scope
This defines all of the work, and only the required work, to complete the project objectives.
Cultural norms
This describe the culture and the styles of an organization, such as work ethics, hours, view of authority, and shared values, can affect how the project is managed.
Affinity diagram
This diagram breaks down ideas, solutions, causes, and project components and groups them together with other similar ideas and components.
Tree diagram
This diagram shows the hierarchies and decomposition of a solution, an organization, or a project team. The WBS and an org chart are examples of these diagrams.
Context diagram
This diagram shows the relationship between elements of an environment. For example, it would illustrate the networks, servers, workstations, and people that interact with the elements of the environment.
Project charter
This document authorizes the project. It defines the initial requirements of the project stakeholders. This document is endorsed by an entity outside of the project boundaries.
Requirements documentation
This documentation of what the stakeholders expected in the project defines all of the requirements that must be present for the work to be accepted by the stakeholders.
Budget estimate
This estimate is also somewhat broad and is used early in the planning processes and also in top-down estimates. The range of variance for the estimate can be from -10 percent to +25 percent.
Definitive estimate
This estimate type is one of the most accurate. It's used late in the planning processes and is associated with bottom- up estimating. You need the WBS in order to create this estimate. The range of variance for the estimate can be from -5 percent to +10 percent.
Closure processes
This final process group of the project management life cycle is responsible for closing the project phase or project. This is where project documentation is archived and project contracts are also closed.
Governance framework
This framework describes the rules, policies, and procedures that people within an organization abide by. It addresses the organization, but also address portfolios, programs, and projects. Regarding portfolios, programs, and projects it addresses alignment with organizational vision, risk management, performance factors, and communication.
Organizational process assets
This include organizational processes, policies, procedures, and items from a corporate knowledge base. They are grouped into two categories to consider: processes, policies and procedures, and organizational knowledge bases.
Configuration identification
This includes the labeling of the components, how changes are made to the product, and the accountability of the changes.
Project assumptions
This is a factor in the planning process that is held to be true but not proven to be true for the entirety of the project.
Resource breakdown structure (RBS)
This is a hierarchical breakdown of the project resources by category and resource type. For example, you could have a category of equipment, a category of human resources, and a category of materials. Within each category, you could identify the types of equipment your project will use, the types of human resources, and the types of materials.
Product scope description
This is a narrative description of what the project is creating as a deliverable for the project customer.
Reporting system
This is a software program to store and analyze project data for reporting. A common reporting system will take project data, allow the project manager to pass the data through earned value management, for example, and then create forecasting reports about the project costs and schedule.
Regression analysis
This is a statistical approach to predicting what future values may be, based on historical values. This kind of analysis creates quantitative predictions based on variables within one value to predict variables in another. This form of estimating relies solely on pure statistical math to reveal relationships between variables and to predict future values.
Requirements traceability matrix (RTM)
This is a table that maps the requirements throughout the project all the way to their completion.
Profile analysis meeting
This is an analysis meeting to examine and document the roles in the project. The role's interests, concerns, influence, project knowledge, and attitude are documented.
Benefit/cost ratio (BCR) models
This is an example of a benefits comparison model. It examines the ____________ ratio.
Project constraints
This is anything that limits the project manager's options. Consider a predetermined budget, deadline, resources, or materials the project manager must use within the project— these are all examples of ______________
Supportive stakeholder status
This is part of stakeholder analysis classification. A supportive stakeholder is aware of your project and is supportive and hopeful that the project will be successful.
Cost baseline
This is the aggregated costs of all of the work packages within the work breakdown structure (WBS).
Cost of conformance
This is the cost associated with the monies spent to attain the expected level of quality. It is also known as the cost of quality.
Earned value (EV)
This is the physical work completed to date and the authorized budget for that work. It is the percentage of the BAC that represents the actual work completed in the project. EV=%complete x BAC
Schedule baseline
This is the planned start and finish of the project. The comparison of what was planned and what was experienced is the schedule variance.
Work performance information
This is the processed and analyzed data that will help the project manager make project decisions.
Functional analysis
This is the study of the functions within a system, project, or, what's more likely in the project scope statement, the product the project will be creating. This analysis studies the goals of the product, how the product will be used, and the expectations the customer has of the product once it leaves the project and moves into operations. It may also consider the cost of the product in operations, which is known as life-cycle costing.
Free float
This is the total time a single activity can be delayed without affecting the early start of its immediately following successor activities.
Total float
This is the total time an activity can be delayed without delaying project completion.
Project float
This is the total time the project can be delayed without passing the customer- expected completion date.
Planned value (PV)
This is the work scheduled and the budget authorized to accomplish that work. It is the percentage of the BAC that reflects where the project should be at this point in time given a past start date.
Milestone list
This list details the project milestones and their attributes. It is used for several areas of project planning, but also helps determine how quickly the project may be achieving its objectives.
Quality management plan
This plan defines how the project team will implement and fulfill the quality policy of the performing organization.
Quality management plan
This plan defines what quality means for the project, how the project will achieve quality, and how the project will map to organizational procedures pertaining to quality.
Communications management plan
This plan defines who will get what information, how they will receive it, and in what modality the communication will take place.
Cost management plan
This plan details how the project costs will be planned for, estimated, budgeted, and then monitored and controlled.
Change management plan
This plan details the project procedures for entertaining change requests: how change requests are managed, documented, approved, or declined.
Cost management plan
This plan dictates how cost variances will be managed.
Stakeholder engagement plan
This plan documents a strategy for managing the engagement of project stakeholders. It establishes stakeholder engagement and defines how the project manager can increase and improve stakeholder engagement.
Configuration management plan
This plan is an input to the control scope process. It defines how changes to the features and functions of the project deliverable, the product scope, may enter the project.
active problem solving
This process begins with problem definition. Problem definition is the ability to discern between the cause and effect of the problem. Root-cause analysis looks beyond the immediate symptoms to the cause of the symptoms—which then affords opportunities for solutions.
Project scope management plan
This project management subsidiary plan controls how the scope will be defined, how the project scope statement will be created, how the WBS will be created, how scope validation will proceed, and how the project scope will be controlled throughout the project.
Product acceptance criteria
This project scope statement component works with the project requirements, but focuses specifically on the product and what the conditions and processes are for formal acceptance of the product.
Monte Carlo analysis
This project simulation approach predicts how scenarios may work out, given any number of variables. The process doesn't actually churn out a specific answer, but a range of possible answers. When this analysis is applied to a schedule, it can examine, for example, the optimistic completion date, the pessimistic completion date, and the most likely completion date for each activity in the project and then predict a mean for the project schedule.A project simulation approach named after the world-famous gambling district in Monaco.
Rough order of magnitude
This rough estimate is used during the initiating processes and in top-down estimates. The range of variance for the estimate can be from -25 percent to +75 percent.
Configuration management plan
This subsidiary plan defines how changes to the features and functions of the project deliverables will be monitored and controlled within the project.
Requirements management plan
This subsidiary plan defines how changes to the project requirements will be permitted, how requirements will be tracked, and how changes to the requirements will be approved.
Change management plan
This subsidiary plan defines how changes will be allowed and managed within the project.
Risk response plan
This subsidiary plan defines the risk responses that are to be used in the project for both positive and negative risks.
Configuration management system
This system defines how stakeholders are allowed to submit change requests, the conditions for approving a change request, and how approved change requests are validated in the project scope. ____________ also documents the characteristics and functions of the project's products and any changes to a product's characteristics.
Push communications
This type of communication happens when the sender pushes the same message to multiple people. Good examples of push communications are broadcast text messages, faxes, press releases, and group e-mails.
Interactive communications
This type of communication means that information is happening among stakeholders, like in a forum. Examples of this are meetings, videoconferences, phone calls, and ad-hoc conversations. Interactive communications means that the participants are actively communicating with one another.
Pull communications
This type of communication pulls information from a central repository. This type of communication allows stakeholders to retrieve information from a central source as needed.
Systems engineering
This type of engineering aims to balance the time and cost of the project in relation to the scope of the project. This project scope statement creation process studies how a system should work, designs and creates a system model, and then enacts the working system based on the project's goals and the customer's expectations.
Scope creep
Undocumented, unapproved changes to the project scope.
Virtual organization
Uses a network structure to communicate and interact with other groups and departments. A point of contact exists for each department and these department point of contact receive and send all messages for the department.
Affinity diagrams
When stakeholders create a large number of ideas, you can use this kind of diagrams to cluster similar ideas together for further analysis.
leadership
_______ is about aligning, motivating, and inspiring the project team members to do the right thing, build trust, think creatively, and to challenge the status quo.
management
_________ utilizes positional power to maintain, administrate, control, and focus on getting things done without challenging the status quo of the project and organization.
Milestone
____________ are significant points or events in the project's progress that represent accomplishment in the project. Projects usually create ____________s as the result of completing phases within the project.
