CAPM Exam Prep, PMI Questions,
PMBOK 6th Edition - CAPM Prep, CAPM
Exam Prep
360-degree appraisal - A performance review completed by a person's
... [Show More] peers, manager,
and subordinates. It's called a 360-degree appraisal as it's a circle of reviews by people
at different levels of an organization.
Acceptance - This is a response to a risk event, generally made when the probability of
the event and/or impact are small. It is used when mitigation, transference, or avoidance
are not selected.
Active listening - This occurs when the receiver confirms the message is being received
by feedback, questions, prompts for clarity, and other signs of having received the
message.
Activity attributes - Activities that special conditions, requirement, risks, and other
conditions should be documented.
Activity cost estimates - The cost of resources including materials, services, and when
warranted, labor should be estimated.
Activity list - A listing of all of the project activities required to complete each project
phase or the entire project. This list is an input to the project network diagram.
Activity on node - A network diagramming approach that places the activities on a node
in the project network diagram.
Activity sequencing - The process of mapping the project activities in the order in which
the work should be completed.
Actual costs - The amount of funds the projects has spent to date. The difference
between actual costs and earned value will reveal the cost variance.
Adjourning - The final stage of team development; once the project is done, the team
moves onto other assignments either as a unit or the project team ream is disbanded
and individual team members go onto other work.
Affinity diagram - Clusters like ideas together and allows for decomposition of ideas to
compare and contrast project requirements.
Analogous estimating - This relies on historical information to predict estimates for
current projects. Analogous estimating is also known as top=down estimating and is a
form of expert judgment.
Application areas - The areas of discipline that a project may center upon. Consider
technology, law, sales, marketing, and construction among many others.
Assumption log - A document that clearly identifies and tracks assumptions that are
made in the project. All assumptions need to be tested for their validity and the outcome
of the test should be recorded.
Autocratic - The project manager makes all of the decisions.
Avoidance - This is one response to a risk event. The risk is avoided by planning a
different technique to remove the risk from the project.
Benchmarking - A process of using prior projects within or external to the performing
organization to compare and set quality standards for processes and results.
Benefit measurement methods - Project selection methods that compare the benefits of
projects to determine which project the organization should select for investment.
Benefit/cost analysis - The process of determining the pros and cons of any project,
process, product, or activity.
Benefit/cost ratios - Shows the proportion of benefits to costs; for example 4:1 would
equate to four benefits and just one cost.
Bid - A document from the seller to the buyer. Used when price is the determining factor
in the decision-making process.
Bidder conferences - A meeting with prospective sellers to ensure all sellers have a
clear understanding of the product or service to be procured. Bidder conferences allow
sellers to query the buyer on the details of the product to help ensure that the proposal
the seller creates is adequate and appropriate for the proposed agreement.
Bottom-up estimating - A technique where an estimate for each component in the WBS
is developed and then totaled for an overall project budget. This is the longest method
to complete, but it provides the most accurate estimate.
Brainstorming - The most common approach to risk identification; it is performed by a
project team to identify the risks within the project. A multidisciplinary team, hosted by a
project facilitator, can also perform brainstorming.
Budget at completion - The predicted budget for the project; what the project should
cost when it is completed. Budget at completion represents 100 percent of the planned
value for the project's completion.
Cause-and-effect diagrams - Used for root cause analysis of what factors are creating
the risks within the project. The goal is to identify and treat the root of the problem, not
the symptom.
Centralized contracting - All contracts for all projects need to be approved through a
central contracting unit within the performing organization.
Change Control Board - A group of decision makers the review proposed project
changes.
Change Control System - A predefined set of activities, forms, and procedures to
entertain project change requests.
Change log - As changes to the project time, cost, or scope enter the project they
should be recorded in the change log for future reference.
Change management plan - When changes are approved for a project, including time,
cost, scope, or contract, then there needs to be a plan on how the project team will
manage these new changes within the project.
Chart of accounts - A coding system used by the performing organization's accounting
system to account for the project work.
Checklists - A listing of activities that workers check to ensure the work has been
completed consistently; used in quality control.
Closing - The fifth of five project management process groups. It contains the processes
responsible for closing a project, a project phase, or the procurement relationships.
Coercive power - The project manager uses fear and threats to manage the project
team.
Collective bargaining agreements - These are contractual agreements initiated by
employee groups, unions, or other labor organization; they may act as a constraint on
the project.
Communications formula - The formula "N(N-1)/2" shows the number of communication
channels in a project. N represents the total number of stakeholders.
Communications management plan - A plan that documents and organizes the
stakeholder needs for communication. This plan covers the communications system, its
documentation, the flow of communication, modalities of communication, schedules for
communications, information retrieval, and any other stakeholder requirements for
communications.
Composite structure - An organizational structure that uses a blend of the functional,
matrix, or projectized organization to operate and manage projects.
Compromising - A conflict resolution method; this approach requires both parties to give
up something. The decision ultimately made is a blend of both sides of the argument.
Because neither party completely wins, it is considered a lose-lose solution.
Confidentiality - A project manager should keep certain aspects of a project confidential;
consider contract negotiations, human resource issues, and trade secrets of the
organization.
Configuration management - The control and documentation of the project's product
features and functions.
Conflict of interest - A situation where the project manager could influence a decision for
personal gain.
Constrained optimization methods - Complex mathematical models to determine the
likelihood of a project's success. These models are used to determine which project an
organization should choose for investment.
Constraints - Anything that limits the project manager's options; for example, time, cost,
and scope are always project constraints.
Contingency reserve - A time or dollar amount allotted as a response to risk events that
may occur within a project.
Continuous process improvement - A goal of quality assurance to improve the project's
processes and deliverables; meshes with the project's Process Improvement Plan.
Contract - A legal, binding agreement, preferably written, between a buyer and seller
detailing the requirements and obligations of both parties. Must include an offer, an
acceptance, and a consideration.
Contract administration - The process of ensuring that the buyer and the seller both
perform to the specifications within the contract.
Contract change control system - Defines the procedures for how contracts may be
changed. Includes the paperwork, tracking, conditions, dispute resolution procedures,
and the procedures for getting the changes approved within the performing
organization.
Contract closeout - A process for confirming that the obligations of the contract were
met as expected. The project manager, the customer, key stakeholder, and, in some
instances, the seller complete the product verification together to confirm the contract
has been completed.
Contract file - A complete indexed set of records of the procurement process
incorporated into the administrative closure process. These records include financial
information as well as information on the performance and acceptance of the procured
work.
Control charts - These illustrate the performance of a project over time. They map the
results of inspections against a chart. Control charts are typically used in projects or
operations that have repetitive activities such as manufacturing, test series, or help desk
functions. Upper and lower control limits indicate if values are within control or out of
control.
Cost baseline - This shows what the project is expected to spend. It's usually shown in
an S-curve and allows the project manager and management to predict when the
project will be spending monies and over what duration. The purpose of the cost
baseline is to measure and predict project performance.
Cost budgeting - A process of assigning a cost to an individual work package. This
process shows costs over time. The cost budget results in an S-Curve that becomes the
cost baseline for the project.
Coat change control - This is part of the Integrated Change Control System and
documents the procedures to request, approve, and incorporate changes to project
costs.
Cost control - An active process to control causes of cost change, to document cost
changes, and to monitor cost fluctuations within the project. When changes occur, the
cost baseline must be updated.
Cost estimating - The process of calculating the costs, by category, of the identified
resources to complete the project work.
Cost management plan - Explains how variances to the costs of the project will be
managed. The plan may be based on the range of acceptable variances and the
expected response to variances over a given threshold.
Cost of conformance - The cost of completing the project work to satisfy the project
scope and the expected level of quality. Examples include training, safety measures,
and quality management activities. Also known as the cost of quality.
Cost of nonconformance - The cost of not completing the project with quality; includes
wasted time for corrective actions, rework, wasted materials. This could mean loss of
business, loss of sales, lawsuits. Also known as the cost of poor quality.
Cost performance index - The process of calculating the costs, by category, of the
identified resources to complete the project work.
Cost plus award fee - The contract requires the buyer to pay for all the project costs and
give the seller an award fee based on the project performance, meeting certain project
criteria, or other goals established by the buyer. The award fee can be tied to any factor
the buyer determines and the factor doesn't have to be exact.
Cost variance - The difference between the earned value and the actual costs.
Cost-reimbursable contracts - A contract that pays the seller for the product. In the
payment to the seller, there is a profit margin the difference between the actual costs of
the product and the sales amount.
Crashing - A duration compression technique that adds project resources to the project
in an effort to reduce the amount of time allotted for effort-driven activities.
Critical chain method - A network diagramming approach that considers the availability
or project resources and the project's promised end date to determine the critical path(s)
in the project.
Critical path method - A network diagramming approach that identifies the project
activities which cannot be delayed or the project completion date will be late.
Cultural norm - The accepted practices, culture, ideas, vision, and nature of an
organization.
Culture shock - The initial reaction a person experiences when they're in a foreign
environment.
Decision tree analysis - A type of analysis that determines which of two decisions is he
best. The decision tree assists in calculating the value of the decision and determining
which decision costs the least.
Decoder - The is a part of the communications model; it is the inverse of the encoder. If
a message is encoded, a decoder translates it back to usable format.
Decomposition - The breakdown of the project scope statement into the project's work
breakdown structure. The smallest item of the project's decomposition into the WBS is
called the work package.
Deliverable - A thing that a project creates; projects generally create many deliverables
as part of the project work.
Delphi techinque - A method to query experts anonymously on foreseeable risks within
the project, phase, or component of the project. The results of the survey are analyzed
and organized and then circulated to the experts. There can be several rounds of
anonymous discussions with the Delphi technique. The goal is to gain consensus on
project risks, and the anonymous nature of the process ensures that no one expert's
advice overtly influences the opinion of another participant.
Democratic - The project team is involved in the decision-making process.
Design of experiments - This relies on statistical "what-if" scenarios to determine which
variables within a project will results in the best outcome; it can also be used to
eliminate a defect. The design of experiments approach is most often used on the
product of the project, rather than the project itself.
Dictatorship - A group decision process where the person with the most power forced
the decision even though the rest of the group may oppose the decision.
Direct costs - Costs incurred by the project in order for it to exist. Examples include
equipment needed to complete the project work, salaries of the project team, and other
expenses tied directly to the project's existence.
Discretionary dependencies - The order of the project activities do not have to
completed in a particular order so they can be done in the order of the project manager
or the project team's discretion.
Duration estimates - The prediction of how long the project work will take to complete.
Earned value - The value of the work that has been completed and the budget for that
work: EV=%Complete X BAC.
Earned value management - Earned value management integrates scope, schedule,
and cost to give an objective, scalable point-in-time assessment of the project. EVM
calculates the performance of the project and compares current performance against
plan. EVM can also be a harbinger of things to come. Results early in the project can
predict the likelihood of the project's success or failure.
Effective listening - The receiver is involved in the listening experience by paying
attention to visual clues by the speaker and to paralingual intentions and by asking
relevant questions.
Encoder - Part of the communications model; the device or technology that packages
the message to travel over the medium.
Enhance - To enhance a risk is to attempt to modify its probability to and/or its impacts
to realize the most gains from the identified risk.
Estimate at completion - A hypothesis of what the total cost of the project will be. Before
the project begins, the project manager completes an estimate for the project
deliverables based on the WBS. As the project progresses, there will likely be some
variances between what the cost estimate was and what the actual cost is. The EAC is
calculated to predict what the new estimate at completion will be.
Estimate to complete - Represents how much more money is needed to complete the
project work: ETC=EAC-AC
Estimating publications - Typically a commercial reference to help the project estimator
confirm and predict the accuracy of estimates. If a project manager elects to use one of
these commercial databases, the estimate should include a pointer to his document for
future reference and verification.
Ethics - Describes the personal, cultural, and organizational interpretation of right and
wrong; project managers are to operate ethically and fairly.
Ethnocentrism - Happens when individuals measure and compare a foreigner's actions
against their own local culture. The locals typically believe their own culture is superior
to the foreigner's culture.
Evaluation criteria - Use to rate and score proposals from sellers. In some instances,
such as a bid or quote, the evaluation criterion is focused just on the price the seller
offers. In other instances, such as a proposal, the evaluation criteria can be multiple
values: experience, references, certifications, and more.
Exceptional - The project manager only pays attention to the top ten percent of the
project performers and the bottom ten percent of the project team performers.
Executing - The project management process group that carries out the project
management plan to create the project deliverables.
Expectancy theory - People will behave on the basis of what they expect as a result of
their behavior. In other words, people will work in relation to the expected reward of the
work.
Expert power - A type of power where the authority of the project manager comes from
experience with the area that the project focuses on.
Exploit - The organization wants to ensure that the identified risk does happen to realize
the positive impact associated with the risk event.
Facilitated workshops - A collection of stakeholders from around the organization that
come together to analyze, discuss, and determine the project requirements.
Fast tracking - A schedule compression technique that allow phases to overlap in order
to compress the schedule and finish the job faster. Fast tracking does increase project
risk.
Feedback - Sender confirmation of the message by asking questions, requesting a
response, or other confirmation signals.
Finish-to-finish - A relationship between project activities where the predecessor
activities must finish before successor activities may finish.
Finish-to-start - A relationship between project activities where the predecessor
activities must finish before the successor activities may start; this is the most common
network diagramming relationship type.
Fixed costs - Costs that remain the same throughout the project.
Fixed price with economic price adjustment contracts - A contract for long-term projects
that may span years to complete the project work. The contract does define a fixed
price with caveats for special categories of price fluctuation.
Fixed-price contracts - Fixed-price contracts are also known as Firm-Fixed-Price and
Lump-Sum contracts. These contracts have a pre-set price that the vendor is obligated
to perform the work or provide materials for the agreed price.
Float - A generic term to describe the amount of time an activity may delay without
delaying any successor activities start date.
Flowcharting - A chart that illustrates how the parts of a system occur in sequence.
FNET - A project constraint that requires an activity to finish no earlier than a specific
date.
Focus groups - A conversation of stakeholders led by a moderator to elicit project
requirements.
Force majeure - A powerful and unexpected event, such as a hurricane or other
disaster.
Forcing - A conflict resolution method where one person dominates or forces their point
of view or solution to a conflict.
Forecasting - An educated estimate of how long the project will take to complete. Can
also refer to how much the project may cost to complete.
Formal power - The type of power where the project manager has been assigned by
senior management to be in charge of the project.
Forming - The initial stage of team development; the project team meets and learns
about their roles and responsibilities on the project.
Fragnets - A portion of the project that is usually contracted to a vendor to complete yet
the project work is still represented in the project network diagram.
Function analysis - Related to value engineering, this allows team input to the problem,
institutes a search for a logical solution, and tests the functions of the product so the
results can be graphed.
Functional managers - The managers of the permanent staff in each organizational
department, line of business, or function such as sales, finance, technology. Project
managers and functional managers interact on project decisions that affect functions,
project, and operations.
Functional structure - An organization that groups staff according to their expertise.
Entities that have a clear division regarding the business units and their associated
responsibility. Project managers in functional organizations have little power and report
to the functional managers and the project team all exist within one department.
Future value - A formula to predict the current amount of funds into a future amount of
funds. The formula is : Future Value = Present Value(i+i)^n where i is the value of return
and n is the number of time periods.
Halo effect - When one attribute of a person influences a decision.
Hard logic - The project activities must be completed in a particular order; this is also
known as mandatory dependencies.
Herzberg's Theory of Motivation - Posits that there are two catalysts for workers:
hygiene agents and motivating agents. Hygiene agents do nothing to motivate, but their
absence demotivates workers. Hygiene agents are the expectations all workers have:
job security, paychecks, clean and safe working conditions, a sense of belonging, civil
working relationships, and other basic attributes associated with employment.
Motivating agents are components such as reward, recognition, promotion, and other
values that encourage individuals to succeed.
Histogram - A bar chart; A Pareto diagram is an example of a histogram.
Historical information - Any information created in the past that can help the current
project succeed.
Human resources plan - Defines the management of the project human resources,
timing of use, and enterprise environmental factors the project manager must adhere to
in the organization when it comes to human resources management.
Inappropriate compensation - The project manager is avoiding compensation, such as
bribes. The project manager is to act in the best interest of the project and the
organization.
Indirect costs - These costs can be shared across multiple projects that use the same
resources - such as for a training room or piece of equipment.
Influence diagram - An influence diagram charts out a decision problem. It identifies all
of the elements, variables, decisions, and objectives - and how each factor may
influence another.
Initiating - The start and authorization of the project; the project manager is identified,
the project is authorized through the charter, and the stakeholders are identified.
Internal rate of return - A benefit measurement formula to calculate the when the
present value of the cash inflow equals the project's original investment.
Interviews - A requirements elicitation process to collect requirements from the project
stakeholders.
Invitation for bid - A document from the buyer to the seller. Requests the seller to
provide a price for the procured product or service.
Iron triangle - A term used to describe the three constraints of every project: time, cost
and scope. The sides of the Iron Triangle must be kept in balance or the quality of the
project will suffer.
ISO 9000 - An international standard that helps organizations follow their own quality
procedures. ISO 9000 is not a quality system, but a method of following procedures
created by an organization.
Issue log - Issue are decisions that are usually in disagreement among two or more
parties. Issues are recorded in the issue log along with an issue owner designation, an
issue date for resolution, and the eventual outcome of the issue.
Issues - Any point of contention, debate, or decision that has not yet been made in the
project that may affect the project's success.
Iterative relationships of project phases - Ideal for projects like research. The next
phase of the project is not planned until the current phase of the project is underway.
The direction of the project can change based on the current work in the project, market
conditions, or as more information is discovered.
Kill point - An opportunity to halt the project based on project performance in the
previous phase. Kill points typically come at the end of a project phase and are also
known as phase gates.
Knowledge areas - There are ten knowledge areas within project management; each
knowledge area is a specific portion of the project, and all ten project management
knowledge areas are interrelated.
Lag - Time added to a project activity to delay its start time; lag time is considered
positive time and it is sometimes called waiting time.
Laissez faire - The project manager has a hands-off policy and the team is entirely selfled regarding the decision-making process.
Lead - Time added to activity to allow its start time to begin earlier than scheduled; lead
time is negative time as it moves the activities closer to the project's start date.
Lessons learned - Ongoing collection of documentation about what has and has not
worked in the project; the project manager and the project team participate in lessons
learned creation.
Letter of intent - Expresses the intention of the buyer to procure products or services
from the seller. This is not a contract, but express intent to purchase so the seller can
prepare for the work.
Majority - A group decision process where a vote is offered and the majority wins.
Make-or-buy analysis - Used in determining what part of the project scope to make and
what part to purchase.
Management by projects - An organization that uses projects to move the company
forward is using the management-by-projects approach. These project-centric entities
could manage any level of their work as a project.
Mandatory dependencies - Project activities must happen in a particular order due to
the nature of the work; also known as hard logic.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - A theory that states that there are five layers of needs for
all humans; physiological, safety, social, esteem, and the crowning jewel, selfactualization.
Matrix structure - An organization that groups staff by function but openly shares
resources on project teams throughout the organization. Project managers in a matrix
structure share the power with functional management. There are three types of matrix
structures: weak, balanced, and strong to describe the amount of authority for the
project manager.
McClelland's Theory of Needs - People have three needs: achievement, affiliation, and
power. One of the needs drives the person's actions.
McGregor's Theory of X and Y - This theory states that "X" people are lazy, don't want
to work, and need to be micromanaged. "Y" people are self-led, motivated, and strive to
accomplish
Medium - Part of the communications model; this is the path the message takes from
the sender to the receiver. This is the modality in which the communication travels
typically refers to an electronic model, such as e-mail or the telephone.
Mind mapping - A visual representation of like and opposing ideas, thoughts, and
project requirements.
Mitigation - Reducing the probability or impact of a risk.
Monitoring and controlling - The project management process group responsible for
ensuring that the project execution is completed according to the project management
plan and expectations.
Monte Carlo analysis - A what-if scenario to determine how scenarios may work out
given any number of variables. The process doesn't actually create out a specific
answer, but a range of possible answers. When Monte Carlo is applied to a schedule, it
can present, for example, the optimistic completion date, the pessimistic completion
date, and the most likely completion date for each activity in the project.
Murder boards - A group of decision makers that may determine to "kill" a proposed
project before it is officially launched based on the board's findings on the likelihood of
the project's success.
Net present value - A benefit measurement formula used for project tha span multiple
years or quarters. NPV calculates the present value for each year or querter of the
project.
Network templates - A network diagram based on previous similar projects that is
adapted for the current project work.
Nominal group technique - A group creativity technique that follows the brainstorming
model by ranks each brainstorm idea.
Nonverbal - Approximately 55 percent of oral communication is non-verbal. Facial
expressions, hand gestures, and body language contribute to the message.
Norming - Project team members go about getting the project work, begin to rely on one
another, and generally complete their project assignments.
Observation - A requirements elicitation process where the observer shadows a person
to understand how they complete a process. Observers may be a participant observer
or an invisible observer.
Oligopoly - A market condition where the actions of one competitor affects the actions of
all the other competitors.
Operational definitions - The quantifiable terms and values used to measure a process,
activity, or work result. Operational definitions are also known as metrics.
Operations - The ongoing work of the business. Operations are a generic way to
describe the activities that support the core functions of a business entity.
Operations management - Operation managers deal directly with the income-generating
products or services the company provides. Projects often affect the core business so
these managers are stakeholders in the project.
Organizational breakdown structure - Though these charts are similar to the WBS, the
breakdown is by department, units, or by team.
Organizational charts - These show how an organization, such as a company or lrage
project team, is ordered, reporting structures, and the flow of information.
Ouchi's Theory Z - This theory posits that workers are motivated by a sense of
commitment, opportunity, and advancement. Workers will work if they are challenged
and motivated.
Overlapping relationship of phases - Allows project phases to overlap to compress the
project duration. This is also known as fast tracking.
Paralingual - The pitch, tone, and inflections in the sender's voice affect the message
being sent.
Parametric estimating - Ideal for projects with repetitive work where a parameter, such
as five hours per unit, is used to estimate the project duration.
Parametric modeling - A mathematical model based on known parameters to predict the
cost of the project. The parameters in the model can vary based on the type of work
being done. A parameter can be cost per cubic yard, cost per unit, and so on.
Pareto diagrams - A Pareto diagram is related to Pareto's Law: 80 percent of the
problems come from 20 percent of the issues (this is also known as the "80/20 rule"). A
Pareto diagram illustrates problems by assigned cause, from smallest to largest.
Parkinson's Law - Work expands to fill the amount of time allotted to it.
Payback period - The duration of time it takes a project to earn back the original
investment.
Performance reports - These formal reports define how the project is performing on
time, cost, scope, quality and any other relevant information.
Performing - If a project team can reach the performing stage of team development,
they trust one another, work well together, and issues and problems get resolved
quickly and effectively.
Planned value - The worth of the work that should be completed by a specific time in the
project schedule.
Planning - The iterative process group where the intention of the project is determined
and documented in the project management plan.
Plurality - A group decision process approach allows the biggest section of a group to
win even if a majority doesn't exist.
PMBOK Guide - The abbreviated definition for PMI's A Guide to the Project
Management Body of Knowledge.
PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct - A PMI document that defines the
expectations of its members to act responsibly, respectfully, fairly, and honestly in their
leadership of projects and programs.
PMIS - A project management information system is typically a software system, such
as Microsoft Project, to assist the project manager in managing the project.
PMP - Your goal. A PMP is certified by the Project Management Institute as a Project
Management Professional.
Portfolio management review board - A collection of organizational decision makers,
usually executives, that review proposed project and programs for their value and return
on investment for the organization.
Precedence diagramming method - The most common method of arranging the project
work visually. The PDM puts the activities in boxes, called nodes, and connects the
boxes with arrows. The arrows represent the relationship and the dependencies of the
work packages.
Present value - A benefit measurement formula to determine what a future amount of
funds is worth today. The formula is Present Value=Future Value/(1+i)^n where i is the
value of return and n is the number of time periods.
Problem solving - The ability to determine the best solution for a problem in a quick and
efficient manner.
Process adjustments - When quality is lacking, process adjustments are needed for
immediate corrective actions or for future preventive actions to ensure that quality
improves. Process adjustments may qualify for a change request and be funneled
through the Change Control System as part of the integration management.
Process improvement plan - Identifies methods to track and eliminate waste and nonvalue-added activities.
Procurement - The process of a seller soliciting, selecting, and paying for products or
services from a buyer.
Procurement audits - The successes and failures within the procurement process are
reviewed from procurement planning through contract administration. The intent of the
audit is to learn from what worked and what did not work during the procurement
processes.
Procurement documents - All of the documents for purchasing, such as request for
quotes, invitation to bid, request for proposal, and the responses are stored as part of
the project documentation.
Procurement management plan - Describes the procurement process from solicitation
to source selection. The plan may also include the requirements for selection as set by
the organization.
Product life cycle - The unique life, duration, and support of the thing a project creates.
Product life cycles are separate from the project life cycle.
Product scope - The attributes and characteristics of the deliverables the project is
creating.
Program manager - Coordinates the efforts of multiple projects working together in the
program. Programs are comprised of projects, so the program manager is a stakeholder
in each of the constituent projects within the program.
Programs - A collection of projects working in unison to realize benefits that could not
be achieved by managing each project independently of one another.
Progress reports - These provide current information on the project work completed to
date.
Progressive elaboration - The process of starting with a large idea and through
incremental analysis, actions, and planning the idea becomes more and more specific.
Progressive elaboration is the generally-accepted planning process for project
management, wherein the project management team starts very broad and works
towards a specific, detailed plan.
Project - An undertaking outside of normal operations to create a unique product,
service, condition, or result. Projects are temporary while operations are ongoing.
Project baselines - There are three baselines in a project which are used to measure
project performance: cost, schedule and scope.
Project calendar - A calendar that defines the working times for the project. For
example, a project may require the project team to work nights and weekends so as not
to disturb the ongoing operations of the organization during working hours. In addition,
the project calendar accounts for holidays, working hours, and work shifts the project
will cover.
Project charter - A document that authorizes the project, defines the high-level
requirements, identifies the project manager and the project sponsor, and provides
initial information about the project.
Project communicaitons management - One of the ten project management knowledge
areas; it is the planning and management of communication among project
stakeholders.
Project cost management - One of the ten project management knowledge areas; it is
the estimating, budgeting and controlling of the project expenses.
Project customer/end user - The person or group that will use the project deliverable. In
some instances, a project may have many different customers.
Project funding requirements - In larger projects this document identifies the timeline of
when capital is required for the project to move forward. This document defines the
amount of funds a project needs in order to reach its objectives and when the project
funds are needed.
Project governance - Defines the rules for a project and it's up to the project manager to
enforce the project governance to ensure the project's ability to reach its objectives. The
project management plan defines the project governance and how the project manager,
the project team, and the organization will all follow the rules and policies within the
project.
Project human resource management - One of the ten project management knowledge
areas; projects are completed by people and the project manager generally oversees
the management of the human resources on the project team.
Project integration management - One of the ten project management knowledge areas;
this knowledge area coordinates the activities and completeness of the other eight
knowledge areas.
Project life cycle - Unique to each project and comprised of phases of work. Project life
cycles typically create a milestone and allow subsequent phases to begin.
Project management - The management of the project within an organization. It is the
initiation, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing of the temporary
endeavor of the project.
Project management integration - A project management knowledge area that
coordinates all of the effort of the project's initiation, planning, executing, monitoring and
controlling, and closing.
Project Management Office (PMO) - Organizes and manages control over all projects
within an organization. PMOs may also be known as a program management office,
project office, or simply the program office. Coordinate all aspects, methodology, and
nomenclature for project processes, templates, software, and resource assignment.
Project management team - People on the project team that are involved with managing
the project.
Project manager - The person accountable for managing the project; guides the team
through the project phases to completion.
Project plan - A comprehensive document comprised of several subsidiary plans the
communicates the intent and direction of the project.
Project portfolio management - A management process to select the projects that
should be invested in. Specifically, it is the selection process based on the need,
profitability, and affordability of the proposed projects.
Project procurement management - One of the ten project management knowledge
areas; this knowledge area oversees the purchasing and contract administration for a
project.
Project quality management - One of the ten project management knowledge areas; this
knowledge area defines quality assurance, quality control and the quality policy for the
project.
Project risk management - A project management knowledge area that creates the risk
management plan, performs qualitative and quantitative risk analysis, plans risk
response, and monitors and controls the project risks.
Project scope management - A project management knowledge area responsible for
collecting project requirements, defining the project scope, create the WBS, performing
scope verification, and controlling the project scope. The project scope statement
includes the product scope description, product acceptance criteria, project
deliverables, project exclusions, project assumptions and the project constraints.
Project sponsor - Authorizes the project. This person or group ensures that the project
manager has the necessary resources, including monies, to get the work done. The
project sponsor is someone within the performing organization that has the power to
authorize and sanction the project work, and is ultimately accountable for the project's
success.
Project team - The collection of individuals that will work together to ensure the success
of the project. The project manager works with the project team to guide, schedule, and
oversee the project work. The project team completes the project work.
Project time management - A project management knowledge area that defines the
project activities, sequences project work, estimates resources and activity durations,
and develops the project schedule. This knowledge area is also responsible for
controlling the project schedule.
Projectized structure - Group of employees, collocated or not, by activities on a
particular project. The project manager in a projectized structure may have complete, or
very close to complete, power over the project team.
Proposal - A document from the seller to the buyer, responding to a Request for
Proposal or other procurement documents. Proposals are an expose on ideas,
suggestions, recommendations, and solutions to an opportunity provided by a vendor
for a seller. Proposals include a price for the work and document how the vendor would
provide the service to the buyer.
Prototypes - A mockup of the project deliverable to confirm, adapt, or develop the
project requirements.
Qualified seller list - The performing organization may have lists of qualified sellers,
preferred sellers, or approved sellers. The qualified sellers list generally has contact
information, history of past experience with the seller, and other pertinent information.
Qualitative risk analysis - An examination and prioritization of the risks based on their
probability of occurring and the impact on the project if they do occur. Qualitative risk
analysis guides the risk reaction process.
Quality assurance - An executing process to ensure that the project is adhering to the
quality expectations of the project customer and organization. QA is a prevention-driven
process to perform the project work with quality to avoid errors, waste, and delays.
Quality audits - A quality audit is a process to confirm that the quality processes are
performing correctly on the current project. The quality audit determines how to make
things better for the project and other projects within the organization. Quality audits
measure the project's ability to maintain the expected level of quality.
Quality control - A process in which the work results are monitored to see if they meet
relevant quality standards.
Quality function - A philosophy and a practice to fully understand customer needs - both
spoken and implied - without hold-plating the project deliverables.
Quality management plan - This document describes how the project manager and the
project team will fulfill the quality policy. In an ISO 9000 environment, the Quality
Management Plan is referred to as the "project quality system".
Quality policy - The formal policy an organization follows to achieve a preset standard of
quality. The project team should either adapt the quality policy of the organization to
guide the project implementation or create its own policy if one does not exist within the
performing organization.
Quantitative risk analysis - A numerical assessment of the probability and impact of the
identified risks. Quantitative risk analysis also creates an overall risk score for the
project.
Quote - A document from the seller to the buyer; used when price is the determining
factor in the decision-making process.
RACI chart - A chart designates each team member against each project activity as
either Responsible, Accountable, Consult, or Inform (RACI). A RACI chart is technically
a type of responsibility assignment matrix chart.
Receiver - Part of the communications model: the recipient of the message.
Referent power - Power that is present when the project team is attracted to, or wants to
work on the project with, the project manager. Referent power also exists when the
project manager references another, more powerful person, such as the CEO.
Request for proposal - A document from the buyer to the seller that asks the seller to
provide a proposal for completing the procured work or for providing the procured
product.
Request for quote - A document from the buyer to the seller asking the seller to provide
a price for the procured product or service.
Requirements documentation - A clearly-defined explanation of the project
requirements. The requirements must be measureable, complete, accurate, and signedoff by the project stakeholders.
Requirements management plan - Defines how requirements will manage throughout
the phases of the project. This plan also defines how any changes to the requirements
will be allowed, documented, and tracked through project execution.
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