The calculation of late start dates and late finish dates for the “schedule activities” portions that are typically in a critical path method. This is determined by calculating the scheduled end date of the project and working backward through the schedule model.

Also see Forward Pass.

An approved set of project work to be tracked and compared with the actual results. Any change to the baseline requires a formal change management authorization.

Also see Cost Baseline, Performance Measurement Baseline, Schedule Baseline, and Scope Baseline.

The tangible and intangible gains such as financial advantages, new products, competitive capabilities, and valuable additions received by the stakeholders and the organization as a result of the program.

Also see Value.

An economic ratio used to summarize the overall relationship between the relative costs versus benefits of projects, programs, or portfolios.

BCR of greater than 1 indicates the net positive benefit.

Also see Internal Rate of Return, Net Present Value, and Payback Period.

A person or an obstacle that impedes the progress of a project.

Also see Impediment.

An estimating technique whereby the Work Breakdown Structure’s lower-level tasks and activities are aggregated in order to estimate the cost or duration of a project. This technique is generally more accurate than analogous and parametric estimating.

Also see Analogous Estimating, Definitive Estimating, Parametric Estimating, Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), and Three-Point Estimating.

A specialist having many skill specializations as required by the team.

Also see I-Shape and T-Shape.

The approved estimate for the total project, program, or portfolio costs that is inclusive of the cost of all planned components. It also includes the total amount of component cost estimates, contingency reserves, and sometimes the management reserve as well.

Also see Contingency Reserve and Management Reserve.

The total budget of the work to be performed, inclusive of all people and non-people costs.

Also see Actual Cost (AC), Earned Value (EV), Estimate at Completion (EAC), Estimate to Complete (ETC), and planned Value (PV).

A document that identifies and lists all the business level requirements of a project. In the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), business requirements are further refined, analyzed, and transformed into functional requirements.

Also see Functional Requirement.

A person or group that encourages and motivates others to accept or embrace organizational change related to the project, program, or portfolio.

Also see Change Champion.

A person or group, typically in leadership roles, that actively supports, facilitates and promotes others to accept or embrace change related to the project, program, or portfolio.

Also see Change Agent.

The process of managing project change, including key documents, deliverables, and baselines associated with the initiative. The process includes the identification, documentation, change assessment, and decision-making.

Also see Change Control Board, Change Control System, and Change Request.

A formal group of individuals within a portfolio, program, or project structure, who have been commissioned to evaluate and recommend final decisions regarding if and when any particular changes are to be made in terms of scope, schedule, cost, or associated quality of work identified in the charter.

Also see Change Control, Change Control System, and Change Request.

A set of processes, procedures, and tools for conducting change control.

Also see Change Control, Change Control Board, and Change Request.

A behavioral or emotional condition in which a person suffers from frequent bombardment or ineffectiveness of organization change management.

Change fatigue can be caused by many factors, some of which include poor leadership, weak communication, unnecessary stress, unclear goals and objectives, and unspecific benefits for the individual or the organization.

Also see Change Resistance and Resistance Mitigation.

Consequences of change as a result of implementing projects, programs, or portfolios. Examples of change impacts include organizational structure, business processes, technology and automation, risk management, governance, products and innovation, and customer satisfaction.

Also see Change Readiness and Change Resiliency.

Perception of organizational preparedness to adopt change successfully, typically measured by stakeholder judgment. Change readiness considers multiple drivers of change impact such as organizational cultural, individual or team commitment, and organization’s capacity to support change.

Also see Change Impact and Change Resiliency.

A proposition to modify a previously agreed upon baseline, document, or deliverable.

Also see Change Control, Change Control Board, Change Control System, and Change Request.

An organization’s capability of overcoming obstacles to ultimately adopt and accept change.

Also see Change Impact and Change Readiness.

Opposition or defiance toward change that may occur in projects, programs, or portfolios that require some level of organizational change. Change resistance can occur for many reasons, such as perceived (or real) unreasonable of change. Other reasons include change fatigue or poor change management.

Also see Change Fatigue and Resistance Mitigation.

A document that includes the specification and authorization pertaining to the structure of a specific project, program, or portfolio. Issued by a sponsor, this document also associates the endeavor to the goals and objectives of the organization. The charter grants formal authorization to the project, program, or portfolio manager to guide and oversee activities within the context of organizational, contractual, and third party resources.

The Program or Portfolio Charter also connects the strategic goals and objectives of the organization with the endeavor.

A communication channel or medium is the method and manner that supports the delivery of communication from the sender to the receiver. Typically, there are two dimensions: formal versus information and verbal versus written.

For example, a casual discussion is a verbal and informal communication. An approved project charter is a written and formal communication.

A preconceived plan that describes ensuing actions should some predetermined trigger conditions occur.

Also see Fallback Plan.

An active risk response strategy in which time or funds are proactively set aside to manage the known project, program, or portfolio risks.

Also see Management Reserve, Project Budget, and Reserve.

Any activity or action intended for realigning the course of a particular project or task with the previously established project, program, or portfolio management plan.

Also see Preventive Action.

An approved plan established once a thorough budget is developed and is set as the parameter of comparison for actual performance status.

Also see Baseline, Performance Measurement Baseline, Schedule Baseline, and Scope Baseline.

A document outlining the activities and criteria which must be included as part of a Project Management Plan in terms of controlling, structuring, and planning the costs associated with the initiative.

According to the PMBOK® Guide, this is a component plan within the project management plan.

The cost associated with managing and delivering a quality product or service that includes quality planning, quality control, and quality assurance.

Also see Quality Planning, Quality Control, and Quality Assurance.

Earned value management measure designed to evaluate project or program cost efficiency. It is expressed as a ratio of earned value (EV) to actual cost (AC).

Formula: CPI = EV / AC

Also see Schedule Performance Index (SPI).

Measured as the difference between Earned Value (EV) and the Actual Cost (AC), it is intended to express the amount of budget surplus or deficit at a given point in a project or program.

Formula: CV = EV – AC

Also see Schedule Variance (SV).

A scheme for schedule compression intended to decrease the total period of time for the minimum incremental cost by adding additional resources to the task or activity.

Also see Fast Tracking and Schedule Compression.

The longest activity sequence of a project or program that determines the shortest possible duration to complete the endeavor.

Also see Critical path Activity, Critical Path Method, and Near-Critical Path.

The tasks that are set on the critical path in the schedule of the project.

Also see Critical Path and Critical Path Method.

A scheme used to determine the amount of scheduling flexibility and estimation of the minimum project duration within the schedule model on the logical network paths.

Also see Critical Path and Critical Path Activity.

A factor or activity that is essential for the success of a project, program, portfolio, or organization. CSFs are often confused with Key Performance Indicators. CSFs are “causes” for success, while KPIs are indicators that measure the “effects” or “outputs” of striving toward that success.

Also see Key Performance Indicator (KPI).

The current state refers to the current set of circumstances or conditions.

Understanding the current state is important to evaluate the effort required to achieve the desired future state.

Also see Future State.

A short daily meeting in which the focus is primarily on removing impediments even though the meeting can also include a review of the previous day’s work and improvement suggestions. Also known as a daily standup.

Note: E+F144ven though the word “daily” appears in the name, in practice, there can be multiple daily scrum meetings as required by the project.

The cost estimate built from the detailed level analysis of tasks and activities, typically from a work breakdown structure of a project and program. Definitive estimates are the most accurate methods of estimation with a range of -5% to +10% of the predicted cost.

Also see Analogous Estimating, Bottom-up Estimating, Parametric Estimating, Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), and Three-Point Estimating.

An activity or task that can be directly identified, traced and planned, and that is directly connected with the final completion of the deliverables as well as the work breakdown structure component.

Also see Discrete Effort and Level of Effort.

A learning process that not only analyzes the results of a process but also the underlying values and assumptions. As a result, the individual or team can better determine the root cause of the situation and devise better ways of managing the situation.

Also see Single Loop Learning.

The total amount of time required to complete work such as a project, an activity, a task, an assignment, or a work breakdown structure component. Duration is expressed in a unit of time (e.g. years, months, weeks, days, hours, or minutes).

Also see Effort.

The earliest possible point at which an activity may potentially be completed. This is calculated via the use of the known predictable scheduling constraints, as well as precisely integrating the data date as well as schedule network logic.

Also see Early Start Date, Late Start Date, Late Finish Date, and Schedule Network Analysis.

The earliest possible point at which the in-progress portions of a schedule activity may potentially be started. This is calculated via the use of the known predictable scheduling constraints, scheduling network logic, and the most up to date information about the project.

Also see Early Finish Date, Late Start Date, Late Finish Date, and Schedule Network Analysis.

The specific and precise sum total of accomplished project work on the basis of the authorized budget.

Also see Actual Cost (AC), Budget at Completion (BAC), Estimate at Completion (EAC), Estimate to Complete (ETC), and Planned Value (PV).

The quantifiable and specific count and/or measure of units of definable labor that are required for the completion of a work breakdown structure component, schedule activity or task, often expressed in weeks, days, or hours.

Also see Duration.

A project management office (PMO) is responsible for the overall organizational project environment. The chief responsibilities vary, but they generally involve establishing and managing methodology, reporting, training, career management, providing decision support for upper management, and possibly leading organizational-wide projects, programs, and portfolios.

EPMOs are sustained organizational units that are often cross-functional. In practice, an EPMO can exist at many levels in their respective organizations (e.g. Departmental, Product, Business Unit, Divisional, or Corporate level).

Also see Project Management Office, Program Management Office, and Portfolio Management Office.

Used for measuring the expected total cost of a particular work breakdown structure component or a scheduled activity, which is an addition of both the Estimate To Complete (ETC) and Actual Costs (AC) to date.

Formula: EAC = BAC / CPI or AC + ETC

Also see Actual Cost (AC), Budget at Completion (BAC), Earned Value (EV), Estimate to Complete (ETC), and planned Value (PV).

Used for measuring the anticipated or expected costs for completing the remaining project work.

Formula: ETC = EAC – AC

Also see Actual Cost (AC), Budget at Completion (BAC), Earned Value (EV), Estimate at Completion (EAC), and planned Value (PV).

The weighted outcome of monetary analysis, typically involving the probabilities of achieving results.

For example, a project has 50% chance of saving $1 million annually. The EVM is $0.5 million.

An alternate set of available actions and tasks in the event that the primary plan needs to be abandoned because of issues, risks, or other causes.

Also see Contingency Plan.

A scheme for schedule compression in which simultaneous phases or activities are performed concurrently instead of performing them in sequence for some part of the duration.

See also Crashing and Schedule Compression.

In this logical relationship, the succeeding activity cannot be concluded until the preceding activity has finished.

See also Finish-to-Start, Start-to-Finish, Start-to-Start, and Logical Relationship.

In this logical relationship, the succeeding activity cannot be started until the preceding activity has finished.

See also Finish-to-Finish, Start-to-Finish, Start-to-Start, and Logical Relationship.

An earned value scheme for the assignment of a portion of the budget value to the start milestone for a specific work package. It also has a remaining portion that is allocated once the work package is finished.

See also Weighted Milestone Method.

The duration of time for which a delay can be incurred by a task in the project network without delaying the completion date as well as subsequent tasks of the project.

See also Free Float and Total Float.

A service request professional who acts as a part coach and part manager to ensure the smooth operation of a continuous flow of work or in a Kanban context. This role is equivalent to a Scrum Master in the Scrum methodology.

Also see Scrum Master.

A critical and essential scheduling path method for the determination of the early finish and early start dates for all the work segments, activities, or tasks that are uncompleted.

Also see Backward Pass.

The duration for which a scheduled activity or task can undergo a delay without violation, in terms of a schedule constraint or an early start date of any succeeding schedule activity.

See also Float and Total Float.

A hierarchy in which areas of specialization form the basis of staff groupings. It also limits the authority of the project manager in terms of the application of resources and assignment of work.

See also Matrix Organization and Projectized Organization.

A particular set of lower-level requirements that describes the behavior of a product, service, or application. In the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), functional requirements are developed from the business and stakeholder requirements.

Also see Business Requirement and Functional Specification.

A set of detailed documentation that describes the behavior of a product or service in conjunction with the planned technology to build the product or service. In the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), functional specifications are developed from the functional requirements and analyzed collectively within the technical environment in which the product or service will be built.

Also see Functional Requirement.

The future state refers to a desired state that is often the intended outcome of projects, programs, and portfolios.

Defining the future state is important to evaluate the effort required to progress from the current state to the desired future state.

Also see Current State.

The calculation of how much a present amount of money may be worth at some point off in the future expressed as

Formula: Future Value = Present Value (1 + interest rate)n, where n is the number of time periods.

Also see Present Value (PV).

A general statement or description of the desired outcomes that an organization strives to achieve. Organizational goals are essential building blocks to achieving desired outcomes.

Also see Objective.

The alignment of project, program, or portfolio goals with the sponsoring organization’s strategy through sound decision-making processes on authorization, oversight, resource allocation, and change management.

Also see Organizational Governance.

The governance board for the establishment of the project, program, and portfolio outline, activities, and processes for leading the activities and making key decisions.

Also see Governance.

Advice or recommendation that provides a procedure or an instruction on how something should be performed.

See Policy.

A blocker that, unless removed or mitigated, will prevent the team from achieving its goals and objectives.

Also see Blocker.

A type of life cycle in which the deliverables are built modularly such that each module is immediately usable or adds quantifiable value.

Also see Agile Life Cycle, Iterative Life Cycle, Life Cycle, Predictive Life Cycle, and Product Life Cycle.

A set of business processes, technology tools, and policy guidelines to manage the life cycle of information and knowledge, from the initial creation, through use and refinement, to eventual archive or termination.

Often, this term has an additional descriptor in front of IMS, such as Project PIMS, Program PgIMS, and Portfolio PfIMS.

Also see Project Management Information System (also Program and Portfolio Management Information System).

This is a financial metric used in financial analysis, such as investment justification. IRR is often used to compare the cost of capital for projects, programs, and portfolios.

Also see Benefit-Cost Ratio, Net Present Value, and Payback Period.

The person having an in-depth knowledge or expertise in one area.

Also see Broken Comb and T-Shape.

An occurring or occurred incident of a project or program that if unmanaged will affect the schedule, scope, cost, resources, or other project parameters.

See also Opportunity, Risk, and Threat.

An approach to project implementation in which the finished product is built incrementally through multiple cycles. Each cycle should be of value to the customer.

Also see Agile Life Cycle, Incremental Life Cycle, Life Cycle, Predictive Life Cycle, and Product Life Cycle.

A key measure as to how effective the performance of a project is in regards to agreed-upon, required, and identified strategic objectives. KPIs are often confused with Critical Success Factors (CSFs). Think of CSFs as “causes” for success, while KPIs are indicators that measure the “outputs” of striving toward that success.

Also see Critical Success Factor (CSF).

The duration of time for which, in regards to a predecessor activity, a successor activity is delayed.

Also see Lead.

The date that denotes the latest point at which the incomplete portions of a schedule activity or task may be concluded, without delaying the project completion date, while conforming to the scheduling constraints, on the basis of schedule network logic.

Also see Early Finish Date, Early Start Date, Late Start Date, and Schedule Network Analysis.

The date that denotes the latest point at which the incomplete portions of a scheduled activity may be started without delaying the project completion date, while conforming to the scheduling constraints, on the basis of schedule network logic.

Also see Early Finish Date, Early Start Date, Late Finish Date, and Schedule Network Analysis.

The time duration in which a succeeding activity can be advanced in relation to the preceding activity.

Also see Lag.

A support type of task or activity with no related outcomes or deliverables and is not on the critical path. Examples include the role of liaising, assorted project management activities, and some aspects of project cost accounting

Also see Apportioned Effort and Discrete Effort.

The process through which projects, programs, portfolios, and products are conceived, designed, implemented, and eventually terminated, from a beginning to an end. The Life Cycle is temporary by definition, even though some endeavors have significantly longer durations.

Also see Agile Life Cycle, Incremental Life Cycle, Iterative Life Cycle, Predictive Life Cycle, and Product Life Cycle.

The existing reliance between two specific project elements (e.g. an activity and a milestone, or two activities).

See also Finish-to-Finish, Finish-to-Start, Start-to-Finish, and Start-to-Start.

A determination of whether the project, program, or portfolio should develop and maintain a product or service internally or acquire it externally.

Make or buy decisions are generally evaluated and made as a part of Supply Chain Management or Procurement Management.

An active risk response strategy in which time or resources are proactively set aside to manage the unplanned or unknown project, program, or portfolio risks. Management reserves are generally held by the next level management and are financial in nature, but can extend to human, technical, and equipment resources.

Also see Contingency Reserve, Project Budget, and Reserve.

An organizational framework in which responsibilities, including the application of resources and assignment of work, are shared by a program or project manager with a number of functional managers.

See also Functional Organization and Projectized Organization.

A system of measures designed to evaluate the performance of an intended project dimension, such as schedule, cost, resources, or quality.

The statement of purpose of existence, or being, of the sponsoring organization (e.g. “Why do we exist?”)

Also see Vision.

An estimation of the most probable duration of a specific activity or task in which all known variables that may influence the performance of the whole program or project are taken into consideration.

See also Optimistic Duration and Pessimistic Duration.

An order of activities having a low float, becoming a critical path sequence if exhausted.

Also see Critical Path.

An economic measure that evaluates the present value of investments by considering the initiatives, investments, and returns across a series of time periods, often in years.

Also see Benefit-Cost Ratio, Internal Rate of Return, and Payback Period.

The specific outcome in which work is directed such as a strategic position to be attained, a purpose to be achieved, a result to be obtained, a product to be produced, or a service to be performed. Favorable outcomes are the result of completing one or more goals successfully.

Also see Goal.

A potential situation or condition that is favorable to one or multiple project objectives.

See also Issue, Risk, and Threat.

An estimation of the shortest activity duration that considers all the known variables that may have an impact on the performance.

See also Most Likely Duration and Pessimistic Duration.

A tool utilized in a hierarchical manner for creating and conducting a clear and thoroughly delineated depiction of the relationships within and across the organizational units and work packages.

Also see Resource Breakdown Structure, Risk Breakdown Structure, and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

The ability of an organization to leverage its people, processes, systems, and strategies to transform ideas, intended goals, and objectives into tangible results and outcomes.

Also see Goals and objective

An organization’s control over its strategy, operations, and activities.

Also see Governance.

Processes, plans, knowledge, procedures, and policies utilized by and pertinent to, the performing organization (e.g. formal and informal plans, policies, procedures, and guidelines).

Also see Process Asset (Project, Program, and Portfolio).

A structure in which project, program, and portfolio management are incorporated with organizational enablers for accomplishing strategic goals and objectives.

Also see Goals and Objectives

An official document comprising the organization’s vision and mission statements and its strategic goals and objectives.

Also see Goals and Objectives.

The immediate result of a project, either individually or collectively, as part of an organization’s project activities and tasks.

This term is often confused with “outcome”, which is the longer-term consequence of how a projects turn out.

An estimation scheme involving an algorithm for calculating duration or cost on the basis of project or program parameters and historical data.

Also see Analogous Estimating, Bottom-up Estimating, Definitive Estimating, Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), and Three-Point Estimating.

This is a statistical principle which states that 80 percent of a target effect is derived from 20 percent of sources or causes for a particular event or activity.

For example, 80% of project challenges come from 20% of the sources.

Also see 80/20 Rule.

A relationship having more than one predecessor associated with a schedule activity.

See also Path Divergence, Predecessor Activity, and Successor Activity.

A relationship having more than one successor associated with a schedule activity.

See also Path Divergence, Predecessor Activity, and Successor Activity.

An economic analysis that refers to the amount of time it takes to break even or to recuperate the cost of investment.

A shorter payback period is more financially more attractive.

Also see Benefit-Cost Ratio, Internal Rate of Return, and Net Present Value.

An estimation stated as a portion of the work amount, which has been finished on a work breakdown structure component or an activity.

Also see Work Breakdown Structure.

Integrated cost, schedule, and scope baselines utilized to compare for controlling, measuring, and managing project execution.

Also see Baseline, Cost Baseline, Schedule Baseline, and Scope Baseline.

A particular group or enterprise that is explicitly and directly involved in all aspects and phases of doing any and all work of the respective project. This term is also referred to as the “Sponsoring Organization”.

See also Sponsoring Organization.

An estimation of the longest activity duration that considers every known parameter with which performance could be influenced.

See also Most Likely Duration and Optimistic Duration.

A continuous improvement framework, which provides a simple and effective approach for managing change and solving problems. The framework can also be applied to iterative product development, to incremental project management, and for testing improvement measures on a small scale before deploying to a broader context.

Also known as the Deming Cycle.

An element of Earned Value Management, PV refers to the authorized budget allocated for scheduled work. Planned Value is calculated by multiplying the planned percentage of the completed work by the project budget.

Also see Actual Cost (AC), Budget at Completion (BAC), Earned Value (EV), Estimate at Completion (EAC), and Estimate to Complete (ETC).

A structured and deliberate set of organizational rules and instructions that provide basic principles to guide an organization’s conduct.

Also see Guideline.

A management structure responsible for the centralized management and coordination of portfolio(s) within the organization.

Note: The general acronym is PMO. This dictionary is using PfMO to differentiate Project Management Office (PMO), Program Management Office (PgMO), and Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO).

Also see Enterprise Project Management Office, Project Management Office, and Program Management Office.

An individual that a performing organization assigns for balancing, establishing, controlling, and monitoring portfolio components for the achievement of strategic business goals and objectives.

Also see Project Manager and Program Manager.

The measure of exactness. Measurements that are close to each other are said to be precise.

Also see Accuracy.

A work schedule activity in a program or project that establishes or determines when an activity can logically supersede a dependent activity.

See also Path Convergence, Path Divergence, Successor Activity, and Work Breakdown Structure.

A type of project life cycle that is deliberately planned in detail at every stage before sequentially progressing toward the next stage of development. As compared with an adaptive or agile life cycle, a predictive life cycle is often viewed as a “traditional life cycle”.

Also see Agile Life Cycle, Incremental Life Cycle, Iterative Life Cycle, Predictive Life Cycle, and Product Life Cycle.

Defines what a future amount of money is worth today. The formula is:

Formula: Present Value = Future Value/(1 + interest rate)n, where n represents the time periods.

Also see Future Value (FV).

An intentional activity that ensures the alignment between the project management plan and project work’s future performance.

Also see Corrective Action.

A two-by-two matrix for mapping the probability of risk occurrence and its impact on project or program objectives if that risk occurs.

See also Risk.

Strategies, policies, processes, and data of the project, program, or portfolio used by the stakeholders and managers.

Also see Organizational Process Assets.

A plan in which the entirety of the procurement process is described, which expounds the process as to how services and goods will be acquired that may be outside of the enterprise.

According to the PMBOK® Guide, this is a component plan within the Project Management Plan.

The range of principally sequential product phases in terms of their evolution, usually completely non-overlapping, from conception to maturity, growth, delivery, and retirement.

Also see Agile Life Cycle, Incremental Life Cycle, Iterative Life Cycle, Life Cycle, and Predictive Life Cycle.

A method in which a weighted average of pessimistic, optimistic, and most likely activity durations is taken into consideration for the estimation of project duration when the individual estimates involve uncertainty.

Also see Analogous Estimating, Bottom-up Estimating, Definitive Estimating, Parametric Estimating, and Three-Point Estimating.

A management framework in which the program-related governance processes are standardized, and also assists in the sharing process of methodologies, resources, techniques, and tools.

Note: The general acronym is PMO. This dictionary is using PgMO to differentiate Project Management Office (PMO), Portfolio Management Office (PfMO), and Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO)

Also see Enterprise Project Management Office, Project Management Office, and Portfolio Management Office.

The authorized individual by the performing enterprise for the purpose of leading the team or teams that work for the achievement of program goals.

Also see Project Manager and Portfolio Manager.

A management framework that assists in the sharing of methodologies, leading practices, resources, techniques, and tools as well as the standardization of the governance processes that are related to the project.

Note: The general acronym PMO can represent Project-, Program-, and Portfolio Management Office. This dictionary makes the distinction and correspondingly, the acronym used is PMO, PgMO, and PfMO (project, program, and portfolio respectively.)

Also see Enterprise Project Management Office, Program Management Office, and Portfolio Management Office.

A project leadership role, authorized by the performing organization, to apply the resources, direct the project team, and manage the project activities to achieve the intended goals and objectives.

Also see Program Manager and Portfolio Manager.

An organizational framework in which ultimate authority is assigned to the program or project manager in terms of making any or all decisions including the application of resources, and the assignment of all priorities.

See also Functional Organization and Matrix Organization.

Project, program, and portfolio activities associated with preventing mistakes and defects, and avoiding problems when delivering the endeavor to customers.

Quality Assurance (QA) focuses on getting ahead of defects.

Also see Cost of Quality, Quality Planning, and Quality Control.

Project, program, and portfolio activities intended to ensure that a manufactured program adheres to a defined set of quality criteria or meets the requirements of the client or customer.

Quality Control (QC) focuses on identifying and fixing defects after they occur.

Also see Cost of Quality, Quality Planning, and Quality Assurance.

A plan that expounds the exact methodology, guidelines, procedures, and policies that would be implemented by the organization in order to accomplish the quality targets.

According to the PMBOK® Guide, this is a component plan within the project management plan.

A quick win is an improvement or value-add that can be achieved quickly after projects, programs, or portfolios start.

The goal of quick wins is to build positive momentum for change. 

A procurement process and the associated document whereby the buyer requests various information on a product or service from potential sellers, typically without a commitment to purchase. In most situations, the Request for Information (RFI) occurs very early in the procurement process where the buyer and seller may even meet for the first time.

Also see Request for Proposal (RFP) and Request for Quotation (RFQ).

A procurement process and the associated document whereby the buyer requests specific information and pricing on a product or service from prospective sellers. Typically, the Request for Proposal (RFP) occurs later in the procurement process where mutual interests are already determined, often following the Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Quotation (RFQ) process. In some instances, this process and document can be formal.

Also see Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Quotation (RFQ).

A procurement process and the associated document whereby the buyer requests specific indicative or approximate pricing on a product or service from prospective sellers. Typically, the Request for Quote (RFQ) follows the Request for Information (RFI) process.

Also see Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Proposal (RFP).

A constituent of the project management plan that explicitly identifies the method and process for which the requirements will be identified, documented, analyzed, managed, and controlled over the duration of the project.

Also see Business Requirement and Functional Requirement.

Financial and non-financial resources held by the Governance team to address the project, program, and portfolio risks.

Also see Contingency Reserve and Management Reserve.

Methods or techniques to reduce change resistance such as communication, training, and stakeholder engagement.

The goal of resistance mitigation is to improve organization adoption and acceptance of organizational change.

Also see Change Fatigue and Change Resistance.

A hierarchal model that logically presents the project, program, or portfolio resources in an organized manner, often by types and categories.

Also see Organizational Breakdown Structure, Risk Breakdown Structure, and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

A technique for resource optimization to adjust hours available for work per team member, and the number of hours allocated to each individual, which may influence the critical path.

Also see Resource Optimization Technique and Resource Smoothing.

A comprehensive plan utilized for allocation and acquisition planning, implementing, monitoring, controlling, and closing of project resources.

According to the PMBOK® Guide, this is a component plan within the Project Management Plan.

A technique to optimize project, program, and portfolio schedules and resources by redistributing and balancing supply and demand.

Also see Resource Leveling and Resource Smoothing.

A technique for adjusting the schedule model activities by using the total and free float so all resource requirements stay within the resource limitations while conforming to the critical path.

Also see Resource Leveling and Resource Optimization Technique.

A table that describes a project or program resource assignments on tasks, activities, deliverables, or work packages.

Also see RACI / Responsibility Assignment Matrix. 

A potentiality that, if it materializes, can have an impact on one or multiple objectives negatively or positively, in the form of resources, performance, quality, or timeline.

See also Issue, Opportunity, Probability and Impact Matrix, and Threat.

A risk response strategy in which the portfolio, program, or project team agrees not to alter the management plan for dealing with the risk unless it is incurred.

Also see Risk Avoidance, Risk Enhancement, Risk Exploiting, Risk Mitigation, Risk Sharing, and Risk Transference.

The level of uncertainty a stakeholder or organization is willing to tolerate in anticipation of attaining rewards.

Also see Risk Threshold and Risk Tolerance.

A threat or negative risk response strategy in which the portfolio, program, or project team agrees to eliminate the threat by evading the risk completely.

Also see Risk Acceptance, Risk Enhancement, Risk Exploiting, Risk Mitigation, Risk Sharing, and Risk Transference.

A hierarchically organized representation of risks as well as their potential sources.

Also see Organizational Breakdown Structure, Resource Breakdown Structure, and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

An opportunity or positive risk response strategy in which the portfolio, program, or project team acts to increase the probability of the risk occurrence or impact should the risk occur.

Also see Risk Avoidance, Risk Acceptance, Risk Exploiting, Risk Mitigation, Risk Sharing, and Risk Transference.

An opportunity or positive risk response strategy in which the portfolio, program, or project team acts to ensure the risk will occur.

Also see Risk Avoidance, Risk Acceptance, Risk Enhancement, Risk Mitigation, Risk Sharing, and Risk Transference.

A portfolio, program, or project management deliverable or artifact that outlines the risk management procedures and activities that will be performed in terms of its performance and structure.

According to the PMBOK® Guide, this is a component plan within the Project Management Plan.

An opportunity or positive risk response strategy in which the portfolio, program, or project team distributes or allocates the risk ownership to another party for the purpose of maximizing the benefits.

Also see Risk Avoidance, Risk Acceptance, Risk Exploiting, Risk Enhancement, Risk Mitigation, and Risk Transference.

The maximum amount or volume of uncertainty around an objective that a stakeholder or organization is willing to accept. The concept of risk threshold is closely associated with risk appetite.

Also see Risk Appetite and Risk Tolerance

The amount, volume, or degree of risk that an enterprise can willingly endure.

Also see Risk Threshold and Risk Tolerance.

A threat or negative risk response strategy in which the portfolio, program, or project team shifts the impact of a risk to a third party, sometimes including the ownership of the response.

Also see Risk Acceptance, Risk Avoidance, Risk Enhancement, Risk Exploiting, Risk Mitigation, Risk Sharing, and Risk Transference.

The approved schedule model version that is utilized as a reference for comparing with the actual results for determining if a preventive action, corrective action, or change is required.

Also see Baseline, Cost Baseline, Performance Measurement Baseline, and Scope Baseline.

An approach to project scheduling, whereby the duration is shortened, while not minimizing and/or reducing the scope or quality of the project in any way.

See also Crashing and Fast Tracking.

The document that defines the criteria for maintaining and developing the actual schedule of the initiative, which is included as a subsidiary of the management plan of the program or project.

According to the PMBOK® Guide, this is a component plan within the Project Management Plan.

A tool for creating the overall project schedule by taking into consideration a representation for the execution of activities of the project including planning information, dependencies, and durations.

Also see Schedule Model Analysis.

A process for analyzing the schedule model with the intention of optimizing the schedule.

Also see Schedule Model.

A technique for generating the project management schedule, by considering the late and early start dates, for the segments of the project activities that are incomplete.

Also see Early Finish Date, Early Start Date, Late Start Date, and Late Finish Date.

Earned Value Management measures designed to evaluate project or program schedule efficiency. It is expressed as a ratio of Earned Value (EV) to Planned Value (PV).

Formula: SPI = EV / PV

Also see Cost Performance Index (CPI).

A quantitative measure for determining schedule performance after or during the project completion, expressed when Planned Value (PV) is subtracted from the Earned Value (EV).

Formula: SV = EV – PV.

Also see Cost Variance (CV).

The approved version of Work Breakdown Structure, scope statement, and the WBS dictionary that serves as a formal point of reference with respect to the agreed project scope.

By utilizing formal procedures for change control, the scope baseline can be altered.

Also see Baseline, Cost Baseline, Performance Measurement Baseline, and Schedule Baseline.

A component of the program or project management plan that explicates the mechanism for which the scope will be defined, developed, verified, controlled, and monitored.

According to the PMBOK® Guide, this is a component plan within the Project Management Plan.

A project role in which a professional serves as a part coach and part facilitator to manage the flow of work activities in a Scrum sprint. The roles include facilitating prioritization and problem solving, removing obstacles, and protecting the team resources from disruptions and external interventions.

Also see Flow Master.

A type of organizational structure in which various business units, such as departments or product teams, are focused exclusively or almost exclusively, on its goals and often without collaboration with other business units.

For contrast, see Value Stream.

A learning process that analyzes the results of a process and determines ways of improvement.

Also see Double Loop Learning.

A particular group or enterprise that is explicitly and directly involved in the funding and execution of the project, program, or portfolio. This term is also referred to as the “performing organization”.

See also Performing Organization.

A logical relationship that defines the sequence in which a succeeding activity cannot be completed unless a preceding activity has finished.

See also Finish-to-Start, Finish-to-Finish, Start-to-Start, and Logical Relationship.

A logical relationship that defines the sequence in which a succeeding activity cannot be started unless a preceding activity has finished.

See also Finish-to-Start, Finish-to-Finish, Start-to-Finish, and Logical Relationship.

A dependent activity that occurs following a predecessor activity in a schedule.

See also Path Convergence, Path Divergence, Predecessor Activity, and Successor Activity.

A single activity that is an accumulation of a group of related activities.

Also see Predecessor Activity and Successor Activity.

The effective allocation of organizational resources to meet the demand from a project, program, and portfolio.

Supply and Demand is a major concept in the Standard for Portfolio Management Third Edition.

The analysis of organizational resources to balance the supply of organizational resources with the demand of those from a project, program, and portfolio.

Supply and Demand is a major concept in the Standard for Portfolio Management Third Edition.

The management of organizational resources to balance the need for resources (demand) against the available organizational resources (supply).

Supply and Demand is a major concept in the Standard for Portfolio Management Third Edition.

A small piece of work that when combined with related tasks form an activity. A task has specific parameters such as time, scope, budget, and resource requirements. Larger tasks can be further divided into sub-tasks with specific assignments.

When working with non-project professionals, the terms task and activities are often used interchangeably.

Also see Assignment, Activity, and Work Breakdown Structure.

A risk that has the potential to influence negatively one or multiple portfolio, program, or project goals.

See also Issue, Opportunity, and Risk.

An estimation technique used to approximate the outcome, such as costs or duration, by applying averages across optimistic, pessimistic, and realistic estimates.

Also see Analogous Estimating, Bottom-up Estimating, Definitive Estimating, Parametric Estimating, and Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT).

The time duration for which an extension or delay can be incurred by a scheduled activity in terms of its early start date without posing any violation to a schedule constraint or causing a delay in the project completion date.

See also Float and Free Float.

A metaphor used in describing a person with one deep area of specialization and also broad abilities in other areas as required by the team.

Also see Broken Comb and I-Shape.

Tangible, intangible, and sometimes abstract business gains and advantages that are associated with the sponsoring organization’s strategy, goals, and objectives.

Also see Benefit.

An estimation of the budget surplus or deficit which is measured by subtracting Estimate at Completion (EAC) from Budget at Completion (BAC).

Formula: VAC = BAC – EAC

A description of the direction in which an organization is intended to move toward (e.g. “Where do we want to be?”).

Also see Mission.

A detailed document that supports the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) by enlisting the details of the deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about WBS components.

Also see Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

A technique for determining Earned Value by dividing the work package’s budget value into portions that are measurable and concluding every portion with a milestone with which a weighted budget value is associated.

See also Fixed Formula Method.

A hierarchical breakdown of the work scope required to be executed by the team for creating the deliverables and outcomes as well as for achieving the particular project goals and objectives.

Also see Assignment, Activity, Organizational Breakdown Structure, Resource Breakdown Structure, Risk Breakdown Structure, Task, and WBS Dictionary.

A small but measurable unit of work, typically at the lowest level of a work breakdown structure (WBS), in which there can be associated schedule, deliverable or outcome, quality attributes, resources to perform the work, risks, and issues.

See also Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

A Workplan is a tool used by the project team to plan, manage, report, and evaluate the progress of the initiative. It defines what work is to be accomplished, by whom, and when. It also identifies any predecessor and successor activities and tasks. The Workplan is a logical decomposition of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

Also see Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).