Project Management Vocab
Corrective action
A documented direction for executing the project work to bring expected future performance of the project work in the line with the project management plan
Preventive action
A documented direction to perform an activity that can reduce the probability of negative consequences associated with project risks
Change Request
A formal proposal to modify a document, deliverable, or baseline.
Change Control Board (CCB)
A formally constituted group of stakeholders responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes to a project, with all decisions and recommendations being recorded
Program Management
A group of related projects managed in coordinate way to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually
Defect repair
The formally documented identification of a defect in a project component with a recommendation to either repair the defect or completely replace the component
Personal
This refers to how the project manager behaves when performing or related activity. Personal effectiveness encompasses attitudes. Core personality characteristics and leadership
Performance
This refers to what the project manager is able to do or accomplish while applying project management knowledge
Knowledge
This refers to what the project manager knows about project management
Interview
formal or informal approach to discover information from stakeholders by talking to them directly. It is typically done by asking prepared or spontaneous questions and recording the responses. Interviews are often conducted "one-on-one," but many involve multiple interviewers and/or multiple interviewees. Interviewing experienced project participants, stakeholders, and subject matter experts can aid in identifying and defining the features and functions of the desired project deliverables.
Tuckerman's Model of Group Development
5 stages -forming -storming -norming -performing -adjourning (for temp. teams)
Activity List
A comprehensive list including all schedule activities required on the project. The activity list includes the activity identifier and a scope of work description for each activity in sufficient detail to ensure that project team members understand what work is required to be completed
Finish-to-finish
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has finished.
Start-to-start
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has started.
Team Concept
A modern business model that is based on the belief that people who work effectively in teams can accomplish more than individuals can accomplish working alone. Building the team concept requires that project managers get each team member to personally commit to the team's goal. In a well-functioning team, members understand the personalities and motivations of the members and communicate clearly to avoid misunderstanding and to ensure that the goal will be met
Critical Path Method (CPM)
A schedule network analysis technique used to determine the amount of scheduling flexibility(the amount of float) on various logical network paths in the project schedule network, and to determine the minimum total project duration
Fast Tracking
A specific project schedule compression technique that changes network logic to overlap phases that would normally be done in sequence, such as the design phase and construction, or to perform schedule activities in parallel (the same time)
Crashing
A specific type of project schedule compression technique performed by taking action to decrease the total project schedule duration after analyzing a # of alternatives to determine how to get the maximum schedule duration compression for the least additional cost. Typical approaches for crashing a schedule include reducing schedule activity durations and increasing the assignments of resources on schedule activities
Templates
A standard activity list or a portion of an activity list form a previous project is often usable as a template can also contain other descriptive info useful in defining activities. Templates can also be used to identify typical schedule milestones
Alternatives Identification
Identifying alternatives is a technique used to generate different approaches to execute and perform the work of the project. A variety of general management techniques can be used such as brainstorming, lateral thinking, pairwise comparisons
Historical info and lessons learned
Information are transferred to the lessons learned knowledge base for use by future projects or phases. This can include information on issues and risks as well as techniques that worked well that can be applied to future projects
Inspection
Inspection includes activities such as measuring, examining, and verifying to determine whether work and deliverables meet requirements and product acceptance criteria.
Expert Judgment
Judgement or expertise should be sought from groups or individuals with specialized training or knowledge on the subject matter
Project assumptions
Lists and describes the specific project assumptions associated with the project scope and the potential impact of those assumptions if they prove to be false.
Project Constraints
Lists and describes the specific project constraints associated with the project scope that limits the team's options.
Work Performance Measurements
Measurements can include planned vs. actual technical performance or other scope performance measurements. This information is documented and communicated to stakeholders
Parametric Estimating
More accurate technique for estimating duration or cost Uses the relationship between variables to calculate the duration or cost Determined by identifying the unit duration or cost and the number of units required for the project
Organizational process assets
Organizational process assets include organizational processes, policies, procedures, and items from a corporate knowledge base. Organizational process assets are grouped into two categories to consider: processes, policies and procedures, and organizational knowledge bases.
Stakeholders
People or organizations who are actively involved in the project or whose interest may be positively or negatively affected by the performance or completion of the project
What-If Scenario Analysis
Process of evaluating scenarios in order to predict their effect, positively or negatively, on project objectives An analysis of the question, ¨What is the situation represented by scenario ¨X¨ happens? Performed using the schedule to compute the different scenarios, such as delaying a major component delivery or an external factor such as a permitting issue Outcomes can be used to assess the feasibility of the project schedule under adverse conditions
Product Scope Description
Progressive elaborates the characteristic of the product, service, or result described in the project charter and requirements documentation
Variance Analysis
Project performance measurements are used to assess the magnitude of variation from the original scope baseline
Facilitated Workshops
Required workshops are focused sessions that bring key cross-functional stakeholders together to define product requirements
Project Manager
Responsible for developing a definition of the project; ensures that the project is delivered on time, to budget and to the required quality standard; ensures the project is effectively resourced and manager relationships with a wide range of groups; maintains a cooperative, motivated and successful team.
Project Sponsor
Responsible for developing a definition of the project; ensures that the project is delivered on time, to budget and to the required quality standard; ensures the project is effectively resourced and manager relationships with a wide range of groups; maintains a cooperative, motivated and successful team.
Schedule Compression
Shortening the project schedule duration w/o reducing the project scope
Interpersonal
Skills used by a person to interact with others properly. In the business domain, the term generally refers to an employee's ability to get along with others while getting the job done.
Stakeholder Analysis
Technique of systematically gathering and analyzing quantitative and qualitative information to determine whose interests should be taken into account throughout the project
Schedule Network Analysis
Technique that generates the project schedule Employs various analytical techniques used to calculate the early and late start and finish dates for the uncompleted portions of project activities
(PMBOK) Project Management Body of Knowledge
The PMBOK Guide is the standard for managing most projects most of the time across many types of industries. This standard describe the project management process, tools, and techniques used to manage a project toward a successful outcome
Activity Attributes
The description of the activity by identify the multiple components associated with each activity. The components for each activity evolve over time. During the initial stages of the project they include the Activity ID, WBS ID, and activity name, and when completed may include activity codes, activity description, predecessor activities, successor activities, logical relationships, leads, and lags, resource requirements, imposed dates, constraints and assumptions
Start-to-finish
The logical relationship where completion of the successor schedule activity is dependent upon the initiation of the predecessor schedule activity
Finish-to-start
The logical relationship where initiation of work of the successor activity depends upon the completion of work of the predecessor
Sequence Activities
The process of identifying and documenting relations among the project activities. Activities are sequenced using logical relationships. Every activity and milestone except the first and last are connected to at least one predecessor and one successor. It may be necessary to use lead or lag time between activities to support a realistic and achievable project schedule. Sequencing can be performed by using project management software or by using manual or automated techniques.
Identify Stakeholders
The process of identifying project stakeholders regularly and analyzing and documenting relevant information regarding their interests, involvement, interdependencies, influence, and potential impact on project success.
Project Scope Statement
The project scope statement describes, in detail, the project's deliverables and the work required to create those deliverables. The project scope statement also provides a common understanding of the project scope among project stakeholders
Scope Baseline
The scope baseline 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 scope baseline to show any variances from what was expected and what the project team has created.
Project Team Members
The staff who actively work on the project, at some stage, during the lifetime of the project; some may have a specific role -- for example, the team may include a Project Admin, a Communications Manager, a Financial/Resource Manager, etc
Decomposition
The subdivision of project deliverables into small, more manageable components until the work and deliverables are defined to the work package level. The work package level is the lowest level in the WBS, and is the point at which the cost and activity durations for the work can be reliably estimated and managed. The level of detail for the work packages will vary with the size and complexity of the project
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
The work to be executed by the project team to accomplish project objectives and create the required deliverables
open-ended questions
These questions are not able to be answered with a simple yes/no. Or one-word response. Open ended questions are formulated to elicit an elaborated response from the interviewee
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.
Three-Point Estimates
Three estimates to define an approximate range for an activities duration Most likely (tM) Optimistic (tO) Pessimistic (tP) Calculates expected activity duration using a weighted tE = (tO + 4tM + tP)/6
Expert Judgment
Used to analyze the information needed to develop the project scope statement. Such judgement and expertise is applied to any technical details. Such expertise is provided by any group or individual with specialized knowledge or training, and is available from many sources
Analogous Estimating
Uses parameters such as duration, budget, size, weight and complexity from a previous, similar project, as the basis for estimating the same parameters or measure for a future project
Bottom-Up Estimating
When an activity cannot be estimated w/ a reasonable degree of confidence, the work within the activity is decomposed into more detail. The resource needs are estimated. These estimates are then aggregated. These estimates are then aggregated into a total quantity for each of the activity's resources. Activities may or may not have dependencies, this pattern of resource usage is reflected and documented in the estimated requirements of the activities
Project or Phase Closure Documents
consisting of formal documentation that indicates completion of the project or phase and the transfer of the complete project or phase deliverables to others, such as an operations group or to the next phase. If the project was terminated prior to completion, the formal documentation indicated why the project was terminated and formalizes the procedures for the transfer of the finished and unfinished deliverables of the cancelled project to others.
Project Manager
the person assigned by the performing organization to achieve the project activities. Many of the tools and techniques for managing projects are specific to project management. However, understanding and applying the knowledge, tools, and techniques that are recognized as good practice is not sufficient for effective project management. In addition to any- specific skills and general management proficiencies required for the project, effective project management requires that the project manager possess the following characteristics:
Final product,service, or result
Refers to the transition of the final product, service, or result that the project was authorized to produce
Critical Chain Method
A schedule network analysis technique that modifies the project schedule to account for limited resources
Project Exclusions
Generally identifies what is excluded as from the project. Explicitly stating what is out of scope for the project helps to manage stakeholders' expectations
organizational structure
An enterprise environmental factor which can affect the availability of resources and influence how projects are conducted
Project Management Office
An organizational body or entity assigned various responsibilities related to the centralized and coordinated management of those projects under its domain
Operations Management
An organizational function performing the ongoing execution of activities that produce the same product or provide a repetitive service
Resource Leveling
Any form of schedule network analysis in which scheduling decisions (start and finish dates) are driven by resource constraints Such as limited resource availability or difficult to manage changes in resource availability levels
Group Dynamics
As an ongoing process, team building is crucial to project success. While team building is essential during the initiating of a project, it is an ongoing process. The project manager should continually monitor team functioning and performance to determine if any actions are needed to prevent or correct various team problems
project management software
Has the capability to help plan, organize, and manage resource pools and develop resource elements
Milestone List
Identifies all milestones and indicates whether the milestone is mandatory, such as those required by contract, or optional, such as those based upon historical info
Project deliverables
Deliverables include both the outputs that comprise the product or service of the product or service of the product, as well as ancillary results, such as project management reports and documentation. The deliverables may be described at a summary level or in great detail
Accepted Deliverables
Deliverables that meet the acceptance criteria are formally signed off and approved by the customer or sponsor.
Discretionary Dependency
Dependencies based on knowledge of best practices within a particular application area or some unusual aspect of the project where a specific sequence it desired, even though there may be other acceptable sequences
Mandatory Dependency
Dependencies that are contractually required or inherent in the nature of the work
WBS Dictionary
Document generated by the Create WBS process that supports the WBS. The WBS Dictionary provides more detailed descriptions of the components in the WBS
Project Files
Documentation resulting from the project"s activities, for example, project management plan, scope cost, schedule and project calendars. risk registers, change management documentation, planned risk response actions and risk impact
Reserve Analysis
Duration estimates may include contingency reserves ( TIme reserves or buffers) into the overall project schedule to account for schedule uncertainty Percentage of the estimated activity duration FIxed number of work periods Developed by using quantitative analysis methods
Product Analysis
For projects that have a product as a deliverable, as opposed to a service or result, product analysis can be an effective tool. Each application area has one or more generally accepted methods for translating high-level product descriptions into deliverables
