Section 9.2: Project Management

Project Milestone

Represents key dates when a certain group of activities must be performed

Executive Sponser

The person or group who provides the financial resources for the project

Critical Path

The series of activities that determine the earliest time by which the project can be completed

PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) chart

a graphical network model that depicts a project's tasks and the relationships between them

Dependency

a logical relationship that exists between the project tasks, or between a project task and a milestone

Critical Path Analysis

a project diagramming method used to predict total project duration

Gantt Chart

a simple bar chart that lists project tasks vertically against the project's time frame, listed horizontally

Kill Switch

a trigger that enables a project manager to close the project before completion

Outsourcing

an arrangement by which one organization provides a service or services for another organization that chooses not to perform them in-house

Nearshore Outsourcing

contracting an outsourcing arrangement with a company in a nearby country

Responsibility Matrix

defines all project roles and indicates what responsibilities are associated with each role

Communication Plan

defines the how, what, when, and who regarding the flow of project information to stakeholders and is key for managing expectations

Project Requirements Document

defines the specifications for product/output of the project and is key for managing expectations, controlling scope, and completing other planning efforts

Intangible Benefits

difficult to quantify or measure

Tangible Benefits

easy to quantify and typically measured to determine the success or failure of a project

Onshore Outsourcing

engaging another company within the same country for services

Project Assumption

factors considered to be true, real, or certain without proof or demonstration

Project Scope Statement

links the project to the organization's overall business goals

Status Report

periodic reviews of actual performance versus expected performance

Project Objectives

quantifiable criteria that must be met for the project to be considered a success

Project Constraint

specific factors that can limit options, including budget, delivery dates, available skilled resources, and organizational policies

Slack

the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying a succeeding activity or the project finish date

Feasibility

the measure of the tangible and intangible benefits of an information system

In-sourcing (in-house development)

uses the professional expertise within an organization to develop and maintain its information technology systems

Offshore Outsourcing

using organizations from developing countries to write code and develop systems

Project Management Office (PMO)

An internal department that oversees all organizational projects

Project Deliverable

Any measurable, tangible, verifiable outcome, result, or item that is produced to complete a project or part of a project

Project Stakeholder

Individuals and organizations actively involved in the project or whose interests might be affected as a result of project execution or project completion