Term
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Definition
imaginary resource introduced so its availability and activity requirement gives an extra means of control. (For example, two jobs not being worked upon simultaneously in order to obviate an accident hazard) |
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Term
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Definition
the formal process of accepting delivery of a product or a deliverable. |
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Term
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Definition
performance requirements and essential conditions that have to be achieved before project deliverables are accepted. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
See responsibility assignment matrix. |
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Term
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Definition
earmarked for the project and for which payment is due, but has not been made. |
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Term
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Definition
determining the most appropriate means of procuring the component parts or services of a project |
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Term
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Definition
Something agreed to be done by a person as a result of a discussion at a meeting and usually recorded in the minutes or log of the meeting. |
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Term
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Definition
Project status describing an approved initiative or project with applied resource and management activities. |
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Term
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Definition
task, job, operation or process consuming time and possibly other resources. (The smallest self |
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Term
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Definition
Identifying the specific activities to be performed in order to produce the various project deliverables. |
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Term
Activity Description (AD) |
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Definition
A short phrase or label used in a project network diagram. The activity description normally describes the scope of work of the activity. |
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Term
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Definition
specifies the length of time (hours, days, weeks, months) that it takes to complete an activity. |
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Term
Activity Duration Estimating |
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Definition
Estimating the number of work periods which will be needed to complete individual activities |
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Term
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Definition
a file containing all data related to the definition of activities on a particular project. |
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Term
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Definition
a unique code identifying each activity in a project. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
the state of completion of an activity. A planned activity has not yet started. A started activity is in progress. A finished activity is complete. |
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Term
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Definition
Incurred costs charged to the project budget for which payment has been made or accrued for payment. See Earned Value Analysis. |
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Term
Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP)(Spent Costs) |
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Definition
Total costs incurred (direct and indirect) in accomplishing work during a given time period. See also earned value analysis. |
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Term
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Definition
actual dates are entered as the project progresses. These are the dates that activities really started and finished as opposed to planned or projected dates. |
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Term
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Definition
costs specifically identified with a contract or project. See also direct costs. |
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Term
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Definition
The point in time that work actually ended on an activity. (Note: in some application areas, the activity is considered finished when work is substantially complete.) |
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Term
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Definition
The point in time that work actually started on an activity. |
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Definition
Actual Cost of Work Performed |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
the last stage of team building where the team disbands |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Generating, gathering, and disseminating information to formalize project completion. |
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Term
Advanced material release |
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Definition
a document used by organizations to initiate the purchase of long lead |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
logical relationship between two or more activities that converge on or diverge from an event. Note: the AND relationship indicates that every one of the activities has to be undertaken. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Project status describing Governance or Steering Committee approval prior to the start of project activities. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Factors, for planning purposes, considered to be true, real, or certain. Assumptions generally involve a degree of risk. |
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Term
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Definition
See responsibility assignment matrix. |
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Term
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Definition
An element of work performed during the course of a project. An activity normally has an expected duration, an expected cost, and expected resource requirements. Activities are often subdivided into tasks. |
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Term
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Definition
Identifying the specific activities that must be performed in order to produce the various project deliverables. |
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Term
Activity Description (AD) |
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Definition
A short phrase or label used in a project network diagram. The activity description normally describes the scope of work of the activity. |
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Term
Activity Duration Estimating |
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Definition
Estimating the number of work periods which will be needed to complete individual activities. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP) |
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Definition
Total costs incurred (direct and indirect) in accomplishing work during a given time period. See also earned value. |
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Term
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Definition
The point in time that work actually ended on an activity. (Note: in some application areas, the activity is considered finished when work is substantially complete.) |
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Term
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Definition
The point in time that work actually started on an activity. |
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Term
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Definition
Generating, gathering, and disseminating information to formalize project completion. |
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Term
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Definition
Application Programming Interface |
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Term
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Definition
A category of projects that have common elements not present in all projects. Application areas are usually defined in terms of either the product of the project (i.e., by similar technologies or industry sectors) or the type of customer (e.g., internal vs. external, government vs. commercial). Application areas often overlap. |
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Term
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Definition
the term used when an individual accepts a deliverable as fit for purpose so that the project can continue. |
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Term
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Definition
approval given to the project at initiation or prior to the beginning of the next stage. |
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Term
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Definition
The graphic presentation of an activity. See also arrow diagramming method. A connecting line between two nodes in a network. |
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Term
Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM) |
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Definition
A network diagramming technique in which activities are represented by arrows. The tail of the arrow represents the start and the head represents the finish of the activity (the length of the arrow does not represent the expected duration of the activity). Activities are connected at points called nodes (usually drawn as small circles) to illustrate the sequence in which the activities are expected to be performed. See also precedence diagramming method. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
one of two conventions used to represent an activity in a project. Also known as activity |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
As late as possible (ALAP) |
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Definition
an activity for which the early start date is set as late as possible without delaying the early dates of any successor. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
that part of a project cost that is of a revenue nature and therefore charged as incurred to the profit and loss account. Note: associated revenue differs from the capital element of the project in that the capital element is taken as an asset to the balance sheet and depreciated over future accounting periods. |
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Term
As soon as possible (ASAP) |
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Definition
an activity for which the early start date is set to be as soon as possible. This is the default activity type in most project management systems. |
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Term
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Definition
Assumptions are factors that, for planning purposes, are considered to be true, real, or certain. Assumptions generally involve a degree of risk. |
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Term
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Definition
systematic retrospective examination of the whole, or part, of a project or function to measure conformance with predetermined standards. Note: audit is usually qualified, for example financial audit, quality audit, design audit, project audit, health and safety audit. |
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Term
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Definition
the decision that triggers the allocation of funding needed to carry on the project |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
the effort which has been defined, plus that work for which authorization has been given, but for which defined contract costs have not been agreed upon. |
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Term
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Definition
decision event where the decision depends only on the outcome of the preceding activities and that can be programmed or made automatic. |
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Term
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Definition
The calculation of late finish dates and late start dates for the uncompleted portions of all network activities. Determined by working backwards through the network logic from the projects end date. The end date may be calculated in a forward pass or set by the customer or sponsor. See also network analysis. |
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Term
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Definition
A graphic display of schedule |
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Term
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Definition
The original plan (for a project, a work package, or an activity), plus or minus approved changes. Usually used with a modifier (e.g., cost baseline, schedule baseline, performance measurement baseline). |
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Term
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Definition
See scheduled finish date. |
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Term
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Definition
See scheduled start date. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
The calculation of late finish dates and late start dates for the uncompleted portions of all network activities. Determined by working backwards through the network logic from the projects end date. The end date may be calculated in a forward pass or set by the customer or sponsor. See also network analysis. |
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Term
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Definition
an organizational matrix where functions and projects have the same priority. |
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Term
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Definition
A graphic display of schedule |
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Term
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Definition
The original plan (for a project, a work package, or an activity), plus or minus approved changes. Usually used with a modifier (e.g., cost baseline, schedule baseline, performance measurement baseline). |
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Term
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Definition
the amount of money an activity was intended to cost when the schedule was baselined. |
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Term
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Definition
original planned start and finish dates for an activity. Used to compare with current planned dates to determine any delays. Also used to calculate budgeted cost of work scheduled for earned |
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Term
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Definition
See scheduled finish date. |
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Term
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Definition
a customer review conducted to determine that a contractor is continuing to use the previously accepted performance system and is properly implementing a baseline on the contract or option under review. |
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Term
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Definition
the baseline schedule is a fixed project schedule. It is the standard by which project performance is measured. The current schedule is copied into the baseline schedule which remains frozen until it is reset. Resetting the baseline is done when the scope of the project has been changed significantly, for example after a negotiated change. At that point, the original or current baseline becomes invalid and should not be compared with the current schedule. |
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Term
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Definition
See scheduled start date. |
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Term
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Definition
Budgeted Cost of Work Performed |
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Term
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Definition
Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled |
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Term
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Definition
the enhanced efficiency, economy and effectiveness of future business or other operations to be delivered by a project or program. |
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Term
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Definition
an outline of the expected benefits of the project or program, the business operations affected and current and target performance measures. |
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Term
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Definition
combined with project or program management, Benefits Management is the process for planning, managing, delivering and measuring the project or program benefits. |
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Term
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Definition
specifies who is responsible for achieving the benefits set out in the benefit profiles and how achievement of the benefits is to be measured, managed and monitored. |
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Term
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Definition
a tender, quotation or any offer to enter into a contract |
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Term
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Definition
an analysis of bids or tenders. |
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Term
Bottom up cost estimating |
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Definition
this is the method of making estimates for every activity in the work breakdown structure and summarizing them to provide a total project cost estimate. |
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Term
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Definition
the unstructured generation of ideas by a group of people. |
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Term
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Definition
a hierarchical structure by which project elements are broken down, or decomposed. See also product breakdown structure (PBS), organizational breakdown structure (OBS) and work breakdown structure (WBS). |
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Term
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Definition
quantification of resources needed to achieve a task by a set time, within which the task owners are required to work. Note: a budget consists of a financial and/or quantitative statement, prepared and approved prior to a defined period, for the purpose of attaining a given objective for that period. (The planned cost for an activity or project.) |
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Term
Budget at completion (BAC) |
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Definition
The sum total of the time |
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Term
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Definition
the cost anticipated at the start of a project. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
system of creating budgets, monitoring progress and taking appropriate action to achieve budgeted performance. |
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Term
Note: a budget should provide the information necessary to enable approval, authorization and policy |
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Definition
making bodies to assess a project proposal and reach a rational decision. |
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Term
Budgeted Cost of Work Performed (BCWP) |
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Definition
The sum of the budget for work completed plus apportioned work in progress to be completed during a relevant time period. BCWP can also be calculated by taking the percentage of work completed times the baseline cost of the activity (% Complete x Planned Cost for each activity). |
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Term
Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS) |
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Definition
The sum of the budgets for work scheduled to be accomplished during a relevant time period. See also earned value analysis. The planned cost of work that should have been achieved according to the project baseline dates. Elapsed costs / baseline cost to date. |
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Term
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Definition
budget elements are the same as resources |
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Term
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Definition
an approximate estimate prepared in the early stages of a project to establish financial viability or secure resources. |
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Term
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Definition
time phased financial requirements. |
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Term
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Definition
the budget unit is the base unit for the calculation. For example, the engineer budget element might have a budget unit of hours. Since budget units are user defined, they can be any appropriate unit of measure. For example, a budget unit might be hours, pounds sterling, linear meters, or tons. |
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Term
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Definition
overhead expenses distributed over appropriate direct labor and/or material base. |
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Term
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Definition
information necessary to enable approval, authorization and policy making bodies to assess a project proposal and reach a reasoned decision |
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Term
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Definition
The smallest unit of time used in scheduling the project. Calendar units are generally in hours, days, or weeks, but can also be in shifts or even in minutes. Used primarily in relation to project management software. |
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Term
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Definition
a project calendar lists time intervals in which activities or resources can or cannot be scheduled. A project usually has one default calendar for the normal workweek (for example Monday to Friday), but may have other calendars as well. Each calendar can be customized with its own holidays and extra work days. Resources and activities can be attached to any of the calendars that are defined. |
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Term
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Definition
Project status given to a cancelled project. |
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Term
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Definition
the carrying cost in a balance sheet of acquiring an asset and bringing it to the condition where it is capable of performing its intended function over a future series of periods. |
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Term
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Definition
amount of investment in an organization or project, normally the sum of fixed and current assets, less current liabilities at a particular date. |
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Term
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Definition
bar chart on which the vertical order of activities is such that each activity is dependent only on activities higher in the list. |
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Term
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Definition
cash receipts and payments in a specified period. |
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Term
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Definition
difference between cash received and payments made during a specific period. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
an end user representative often seconded into a project team. Someone who acts as an advocate for a proposal or project. |
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Term
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Definition
process that ensures potential changes to the deliverables of a project or the sequence of work in a project, are recorded, evaluated, authorized, and managed. |
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Term
Change Control Board (CCB) |
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Definition
A formally constituted group of stakeholders responsible for approving or rejecting changes to the project baselines. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
a record of all project changes, proposed, authorized, or rejected. |
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Term
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Definition
the formal process where changes to the project are introduced and approved. |
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Term
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Definition
A request submitted to obtain formal approval for project changes (see Project Change Control). Change requests may arise through changes in the business or because of issues in the project. Change requests should be documented, logged, analyzed, and approved before a change to the project can be made. |
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Term
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Definition
Any numbering system used to monitor project costs by category (e.g., labor, supplies, materials). The project chart of accounts is usually based upon the corporate chart of accounts of the primary performing organization. See also code of accounts. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
subordinate task belonging to a parent task existing at a higher level in the work breakdown structure. |
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Term
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Definition
the party to a contract who commissions the work and pays for it on completion. The client or customer also functions as a representative for the users and is a project stakeholder. |
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Term
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Definition
the completion of work on a project. |
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Term
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Definition
the formal end point of a project, either because it has been completed or because it has been terminated early. |
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Term
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Definition
Capability Maturity Model |
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Term
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Definition
Any numbering system used to uniquely identify each element of the work breakdown structure. See also chart of accounts. |
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Term
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Definition
advancement of an installation from the stage of static completion to full working order and achievement of the specified operational requirements. |
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Term
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Definition
A binding financial obligation, typically in the form of a purchase order or contract. |
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Term
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Definition
costs legally committed even if delivery has not taken place with invoices neither raised nor paid. |
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Term
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Definition
the transmission of information so that the recipient understands clearly what the sender intends. |
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Term
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Definition
determining project stakeholders communication and information needs. |
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Term
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Definition
Project status describing work that has moved through the full project lifecycle and has been accepted as complete by the customer or client. |
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Term
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Definition
the date calculated by which the project could finish following careful estimating. |
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Term
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Definition
a risk made up of a number of inter |
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Term
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Definition
the phase that triggers and captures new ideas or opportunities and identifies potential candidates for further development in the feasibility phase |
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Term
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Definition
An approach to project staffing that, in its most general form, calls for implementers to be involved in the design phase. Sometimes confused with fast tracking. |
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Term
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Definition
functional and physical characteristics of a product as defined in technical documents and achieved in the product. Note: in a project this should contain all items that can be identified as being relevant to the project and that should only be modified after authorization by the relevant manager (This includes documentation). |
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Term
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Definition
a check to ensure that all deliverable items on a project conform with one another and to the current specification. It ensures that relevant quality assurance procedures have been implemented and that there is consistency throughout project documentation. |
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Term
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Definition
a system through which changes may be made to configuration items. |
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Term
Configuration identification |
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Definition
identifies uniquely all items within the configuration. |
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Term
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Definition
a part of configuration that has a set function and is designated for configuration management. It identifies uniquely all items within the configuration. |
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Term
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Definition
technical and administrative activities concerned with the creation, maintenance and controlled change of configuration throughout the life of the product. |
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Term
Configuration status accounting |
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Definition
records and reports the current status and history of all changes to the configuration. Provides a complete record of what happened to the configuration to date |
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Term
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Definition
the ability to manage conflict creatively and effectively. |
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Term
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Definition
Applicable restriction affecting the performance of the project. Any factor affecting when an activity can be scheduled. |
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Term
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Definition
a type of resource that only remains available until consumed (for example, a material). |
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Term
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Definition
See reserve and contingency planning. |
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Term
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Definition
a contingency is the planned allotment of time and cost or other resources for unforeseeable elements with a project. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Alternative course(s) of action devised to cope with project risks. Note: See risk plan. |
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Term
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Definition
the development of a management plan using alternative strategies to minimize or negate the adverse effects of a risk, should it occur. |
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Term
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Definition
A separately planned quantity used to allow for future situations which may be planned for only in part (sometimes called known unknowns). For example, rework is certain, the amount of rework is not. Contingency reserves may involve cost, schedule, or both. Contingency reserves are intended to reduce the impact of missing cost or schedule objectives. Contingency reserves are normally included in the projects cost and schedule baselines. |
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Term
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Definition
A contract is a mutually binding agreement which obligates the seller to provide the specified product and obligates the buyer to pay for it. Contracts generally fall into one of three broad categories: |
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Term
* Fixed price or lump sum contractsthis category of contract involves a fixed total price for a well |
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Definition
defined product. Fixed price contracts may also include incentives for meeting or exceeding selected project objectives such as schedule targets. |
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Term
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Definition
Managing the relationship with the seller. |
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Term
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Definition
the negotiated contract cost value plus the estimated value of authorized but unpriced work. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
a person, company, or firm who holds a contract for carrying out the works and/or the supply of goods or services in connection with the project |
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Term
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Definition
the negotiated costs for the original defined contract and all contractual changes that have been agreed and approved, but excluding the estimated cost of any authorized, unpriced changes. The contract target cost equals the value of the budget at completion plus management or contingency reserve. |
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Term
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Definition
the negotiated estimated costs plus profit or fee. |
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Term
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Definition
The process of comparing actual performance with planned performance, analyzing variances, evaluating possible alternatives, and taking appropriate corrective action as needed. |
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Term
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Definition
Control charts are a graphic display of the results, over time and against established control limits, of a process. They are used to determine if the process is in control or in need of adjustment. |
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Term
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Definition
the act of ensuring that work carried out by different organizations and in different places fits together effectively. It involves technical matters, time, content, and cost in order to achieve the project objectives effectively. |
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Term
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Definition
an organizational structure where the project leader reports to the functional manager and doesnt have authority over team members from other departments. |
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Term
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Definition
Changes made to bring expected future performance of the project into line with the plan. |
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Term
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Definition
defines what work is to be performed who will perform it and who is to pay for it. Cost accounts are the focal point for the integration of scope, cost, and schedule. Another term for cost account is control account. |
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Term
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Definition
a member of a functional organization responsible for cost account performance, and for the management of resources to accomplish such tasks. |
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Term
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Definition
an analysis of the relationship between the costs of undertaking a task or project, initial and recurrent, and the benefits likely to arise from the changed situation, initially and recurrently. |
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Term
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Definition
hierarchical breakdown of a project into cost elements. |
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Term
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Definition
allocating cost estimates to individual project components. |
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Term
|
Definition
location, person, activity or project in respect of which costs may be ascertained and related to cost units. |
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Term
|
Definition
unique identitier for a specified element of work. (Code assigned to activities that allow costs to be consolidated according to the elements of a code structure.) |
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Term
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Definition
Controlling changes to the project budget. |
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Term
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Definition
the point within a program at which costs are entered and controlled. Frequently, the cost control point for a project is either the cost account or the work package. |
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Term
|
Definition
any system of keeping costs within the bounds of budgets or standards based upon work actually performed. |
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Term
|
Definition
a graph plotted against a horizontal time scale and cumulative cost vertical scale. |
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Term
|
Definition
a unit of costs to perform a task or to acquire an item. The cost estimated may be a single value or a range of values. |
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Term
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Definition
Estimating the cost of the resources needed to complete project activities. |
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Term
|
Definition
costs identified through the use of the accrued method of accounting or costs actually paid. Costs include direct labor, direct materials, and all allowable indirect costs. |
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Term
|
Definition
the effective financial control of the project through evaluating, estimating, budgeting, monitoring, analyzing, forecasting and reporting the cost information. |
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Term
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Definition
The costs incurred to ensure quality. The cost of quality includes quality planning, quality control, quality assurance, and rework. |
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Term
|
Definition
the amount by which a contractor exceeds or expects to exceed the estimated costs, and/or the final limitations (the ceiling) of a contract. |
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Term
Cost Performance Index (CPI) |
|
Definition
The ratio of budgeted costs to actual costs (BCWP/ACWP). CPI is often used to predict the magnitude of a possible cost overrun using the following formula: original cost estimate/CPI = projected cost at completion. See also earned value. The cost efficiency ratio of earned value to actual costs. CPI is often used to predict the magnitude of a possible cost overrun. See also earned value. |
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Term
|
Definition
a regular cost report to reflect cost and schedule status information for management. |
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Term
|
Definition
A budget which shows the amounts and expected dates of incurring costs on the project or on a contract. |
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Term
Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) Contract |
|
Definition
A type of contract where the buyer reimburses the seller for the sellers allowable costs (allowable costs are defined by the contract) plus a fixed amount of profit (fee). |
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Term
Cost Plus Incentive Fee (CPIF) Contract |
|
Definition
A type of contract where the buyer reimburses the seller for the sellers allowable costs (allowable costs are defined by the contract), and the seller earns its profit if it meets defined performance criteria. |
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Term
Cost reimbursement type contracts |
|
Definition
a category of contracts based on payments to a contractor for allowable estimated costs, normally requiring only a best efforts performance standard from the contractor. Risk for all growth over the estimated value rests with the project owner. |
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Term
|
Definition
time resource sheet (CTR) |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
|
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Term
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Definition
A specific type of project schedule compression technique performed by taking action to decrease the total project schedule duration after analyzing a number of alternatives to determine how to get the maximum schedule duration compression for the least cost. Typical approaches for crashing a schedule include reducing schedule activity durations and increasing the assignment of resources on schedule activities.Credited resource created by an activity or event and can then be used by the project. |
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Term
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Definition
Any activity on a critical path with zero or negative float. Most commonly determined by using the critical path method. Although some activities are critical in the dictionary sense without being on the critical path, this meaning is seldom used in the project context. |
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Term
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Definition
used in risk analysis, the criticality index represents the percentage of simulation trails that resulted in the activity being placed on the critical path. |
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Term
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Definition
In a project network diagram, the series of activities which determines the earliest completion of the project. The critical path will generally change from time to time as activities are completed ahead of or behind schedule. Although normally calculated for the entire project, the critical path can also be determined for a milestone or subproject. The critical path is usually defined as those activities with float less than or equal to a specified value, often zero. See critical path method. |
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Term
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Definition
procedure for calculating the critical path and floats in a network. |
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Term
Critical Path Method (CPM) |
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Definition
A network analysis technique used to predict project duration by analyzing which sequence of activities (which path) has the least amount of scheduling flexibility (the least amount of float). Early dates are calculated by means of a forward pass using a specified start date. Late dates are calculated by means of a backward pass starting from a specified completion date (usually the forward passs calculated project early finish date). |
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Term
Critical performance indicator |
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Definition
a critical factor against which aspects of project performance may be assessed |
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Term
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Definition
a factor considered to be most conducive to the achievement of a successful project |
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Term
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Definition
The current estimate of the point in time when an activity will be completed. |
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Term
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Definition
The current estimate of the point in time when an activity will begin. |
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Term
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Definition
any person who defines needs or wants, justifies or pays for part or the entire project, or evaluates or uses the results. Could be the project promoter, client, owner or employer |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
an activity or network which has either no predecessors or no successors. If neither, it is referred to as an isolated activity. |
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Term
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Definition
The point in time that separates actual (historical) data from future (scheduled) data. Also called as |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
The removal of uncertainty with respect to a course of action. |
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Term
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Definition
state in the progress of a project when a decision is required before the start of any succeeding activity. Note: the decision determines which of a number of alternative paths is to be followed. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
in resource scheduling, inadequate availability of one or more resources may require that the completion of an activity be delayed beyond the date on which it could otherwise be completed. The delaying resource is the first resource on an activity that causes the activity to be delayed. |
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Term
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Definition
the practice of effectively getting others to perform work which one chooses not to do oneself. The process by which authority and responsibility is distributed from project manager to subordinates. |
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Term
Deliberate decision event |
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Definition
decision event where the decision is made as a result of the outcomes of the preceding activities and possibly other information. A deliberate decision event cannot be made automatically |
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Term
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Definition
end products of a project or the measurable results of intermediate activities within the project organization. Note: deliverables may be in the form of hardware, software, services, processes, documents, or any combination thereof. |
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Term
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Definition
a process where a consensus view is reached by consultation with experts. Often used as an estimating technique. |
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Term
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Definition
Project status describing proposed project work that will not be considered. |
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Term
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Definition
precedence relationship. Restriction that one activity has to precede, either in part or in total, another activity. (Dependencies are relationships between products or tasks. For example, one product may be made up of several other dependent products or a task may not begin until a dependent task is complete.) See logical relationship |
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Term
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Definition
A link arrow used in an activity on a node network to represent the interrelationships of activities in a project. |
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Term
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Definition
the person or organization with overall design responsibility for the products of the project |
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Term
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Definition
phase The time period in which facility and production processes are developed and designed. |
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Term
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Definition
contains paths, all of which have to be followed and whose durations are fixed. Note: deterministic network is a term used to distinguish traditional networking from probabilistic networking. |
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Term
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Definition
costs specifically attributable to an activity or group of activities without apportionment. (Direct costs are best contrasted with indirect costs that cannot be identified to a specific project.) |
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Term
Discounted cash flow (DCF) |
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Definition
concept of relating future cash inflows and outflows over the life of a project or operation to a common base value thereby allowing more validity to comparison of projects with different durations and rates of cash flow. |
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Term
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Definition
a milestone that has a definite scheduled occurrence in time. |
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Term
Dummy activity in activity on arrow network |
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Definition
an activity representing no actual work to be done but required for reasons of logic or nomenclature. Note: there are three uses for a dummy activity in activity |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
An activity of zero duration used to show a logical relationship in the arrow diagramming method. Dummy activities are used when logical relationships cannot be completely or correctly described with regular activity arrows. Dummies are shown graphically as a dashed line headed by an arrow. |
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Term
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Definition
The number of work periods (not including holidays or other non |
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Term
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Definition
Shortening the project schedule without reducing the project scope. Duration compression is not always possible and often requires an increase in project cost. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
The earliest date on which the activity could be scheduled to start based on the scheduled dates of all its predecessors, but in the absence of any resource constraints on the activity itself. This date is calculated by resource scheduling. |
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Term
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Definition
calculated in the forward pass of time analysis, early dates are the earliest dates on which an activity can start and finish. |
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Term
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Definition
In the critical path method, the earliest possible point in time on which the uncompleted portions of an activity (or the project) can finish based on the network logic and any schedule constraints. Early finish dates can change as the project progresses and changes are made to the project plan. |
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Term
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Definition
In the critical path method, the earliest possible point in time on which the uncompleted portions of an activity (or the project) can start, based on the network logic and any schedule constraints. Early start dates can change as the project progresses and changes are made to the project plan. |
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Term
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Definition
the time in standard hours credited as a result of the completion of a given task or a group of tasks. |
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Term
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Definition
A measure of the value of completed work. Earned value uses original estimates and progress |
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Term
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Definition
analysis of project progress where the actual money, hours (or other measure) budgeted and spent is compared to the value of the work achieved. |
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Term
Earned value cost control |
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Definition
the quantification of the overall progress of a project in financial terms so as to provide a realistic yardstick against which to compare the actual cost to date. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
the number of labor units necessary to complete the work. Effort is usually expressed in staff |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
the estimate of effort remaining to complete an activity. |
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Term
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Definition
elapsed time is the total number of calendar days (excluding non |
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Term
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Definition
an activity with no logical successors. |
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Term
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Definition
event with proceeding, but no succeeding activities. Note: there may be more than one end event. |
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Term
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Definition
use of data relating to an external factor (such as the weather) to modify or bias the value of parameters concerned. |
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Term
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Definition
activity that is equivalent, in the probabilistic sense, to any combination of series and parallel activities. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
An assessment of the likely quantitative result. Usually applied to project costs and durations and should always include some indication of accuracy (e.g., ± x percent). Usually used with a modifier (e.g., preliminary, conceptual, feasibility). Some application areas have specific modifiers that imply particular accuracy ranges (e.g., order |
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Term
Estimate at completion (EAC) |
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Definition
a value expressed in either money and/or hours, to represent the projected final costs of work when completed. The EAC is calculated as ETC + ACWP. |
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Term
Estimate to complete (ETC) |
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Definition
the value expressed in either money or hours developed to represent the cost of the work required to complete a task. |
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Term
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Definition
the act of combining the results of post project reviews, metrics, consultation and informed assessment to arrive at time and resource requirements for an activity. |
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Term
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Definition
Estimate (or Estimated) To Complete (or Completion) |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
state in the progress of a project after the completion of all preceding activities, but before the start of any succeeding activity. (A defined point that is the beginning or end of an activity) |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
focused report drawing attention to instances where planned and actual results are expected to be, or are already, significantly different. Note: an exception report is usually triggered when actual values are expected to cross a predetermined threshold that is set with reference to the project plan. The actual values may be trending better or worse than plan. |
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Term
Exclusive OR relationship |
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Definition
Logical relationship indicating that only one of the possible activities can be undertaken. |
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Term
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Definition
the phase of a project in which work towards direct achievement of the projects objectives and the production of the projects deliverables occurs. Sometimes called the implementation phase |
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Term
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Definition
a charge against available funds, evidenced by a voucher, claim, or other documents. Expenditures represent the actual payment of funds. |
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Term
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Definition
occurrences causing deviation from a plan, such as issues, change requests and risks. Exceptions can also refer to items where the cost variance and schedule variance exceed predefined thresholds. |
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Term
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Definition
The product of an events probability of occurrence and the gain or loss that will result. For example, if there is a 50 percent probability that it will rain, and rain will result in a $100 loss, the expected monetary value of the rain event is $50 (.5 x $100). |
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Term
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Definition
a constraint from outside the project network. |
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Term
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Definition
Reducing the duration of a project usually by overlapping phases or activities originally planned to be to done sequentially. (The process of reducing the number of sequential relationships and replacing them typically with parallel relationships, usually to achieve shorter overall durations but often with increased risk). |
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Term
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Definition
a plan for an alternative course of action that can be adopted to overcome the consequences of a risk, should it occur (including carrying out any advance activities that may be required to render the plan practical). |
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Term
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Definition
the project phase that demonstrates that the clients requirement can be achieved, this phase identifies and evaluates the options to determine the one preferred solution. |
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Term
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Definition
analysis to determine if a course of action is possible within the terms of reference of the project. |
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Term
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Definition
any schedule capable of implementation within the externally determined constraints of time and/or resource limits. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
the actual or estimated time associated with an activitys completion. |
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Term
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Definition
a finishing activity is the last activity that must be completed before a project can be considered finished. This activity is not a predecessor to any other activity |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Contract |
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Definition
A type of contract where the buyer pays the seller a set amount (as defined by the contract) regardless of the sellers costs. |
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Term
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Definition
a calendar date (associated with a plan) that cannot be moved or changed during the schedule. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
Fixed Price Incentive Fee (FPIF) Contract |
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Definition
A type of contract where the buyer pays the seller a set amount (as defined by the contract), and the seller can earn an additional amount if it meets defined performance criteria. |
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Term
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Definition
The amount of time an activity may be delayed from its early start without delaying the project finish date. Float is a mathematical calculation and can change as the project progresses and changes are made to the project plan. Also called slack, total float, and path float. See also free float. |
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Term
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Definition
scheduled cost for a task. |
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Term
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Definition
See estimate at completion. |
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Term
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Definition
The calculation of the early start and early finish dates for the uncompleted portions of all network activities. See also network analysis and backward pass. |
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Term
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Definition
Fixed Price Incentive Fee |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start of any immediately following activities. See also float. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
A manager responsible for activities in a specialized department or functional group (e.g., engineering, manufacturing, marketing). |
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Term
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Definition
an organization type where the project has a team leader in each functional department and the products are passed from one team to the next. |
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Term
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Definition
management structure where specific functions of an organization are grouped into specialist departments providing dedicated services. Examples of functional organization are finance, marketing and design departments. |
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Term
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Definition
a document specifying in some detail the functions that is required of a system and the constraints that will apply |
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Term
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Definition
an estimate of funding requirements over time. |
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Term
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Definition
particular type of bar chart showing planned activity against time. Note: Gantt chart, although named for a particular type of bar chart, is in current usage as a name for bar charts in general. |
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Term
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Definition
phased graphic display of activity durations. Activities are listed with other tabular information on the left side with time intervals over the bars. Activity durations are shown in the form of horizontal bars.) |
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Term
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Definition
Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
A category or rank used to distinguish items that have the same functional use (e.g., hammer) but do not share the same requirements for quality (e.g., different hammers may need to withstand different amounts of force). |
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Term
Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique (GERT) |
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Definition
A network analysis technique that allows for conditional and probabilistic treatment of logical relationships (i.e., some activities may not be performed). |
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Term
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Definition
An aggregate or summary activity (a group of related activities is shown as one and reported at a summary level). A hammock may or may not have an internal sequence. See also subproject and subnet. |
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Term
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Definition
joining two specified points, that span two or more activities. (Note: its duration is initially unspecified and is only determined by the durations of the specified activities. Hammocks are usually used to collect time |
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Term
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Definition
The formal process of transferring responsibility for and ownership of the products of a project to the operator or owner. |
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Term
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Definition
An unintended break in a network path. Hangers are usually caused by missing activities or missing logical relationships. |
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Term
hierarchical coding structure |
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Definition
a coding system that can be represented as a multi |
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Term
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Definition
Range of networks at different levels of detail, from summary down to working levels, showing the relationships between those networks. |
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Term
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Definition
a graphic display of planned and or actual resource usage over a period of time. It is in the form of a vertical bar chart, the height of each bar representing the quantity of resource usage in a given time unit. Bars may be single, multiple, or show stacked resources. |
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Term
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Definition
an otherwise valid working day that has been designated as exempt from work. |
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Term
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Definition
organization providing the administrative and logistical support for the project. |
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Term
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Definition
activities on the critical path with negative float. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
the assessment of the adverse effects of an occurring risk. |
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Term
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Definition
assessing the merits of pursuing a particular course of action. |
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Term
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Definition
the project phase that develops the chosen solution into a completed deliverable. |
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Term
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Definition
point in time determined by circumstances outside the network. |
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Term
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Definition
a finished date imposed on an activity by external constraints. |
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Term
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Definition
a start date imposed on an activity by external constraints. |
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Term
Inclusive OR relationship |
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Definition
logical relationship indicating that at least one but not necessarily all of the activities have to be undertaken. |
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Term
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Definition
sum of actual and committed costs, whether invoiced/paid or not, at a specified time. |
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Term
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Definition
Costs associated with a project that cannot be directly attributed to an activity or group of activities. (Resources expended which are not directly identified to any specific contract, project, product or service, such as overheads and general administration). |
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Term
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Definition
Making needed information available to project stakeholders in a timely manner. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Committing the organization to begin a project or phase. |
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Term
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Definition
an activity that has been started, but not yet completed. |
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Term
Integrated Cost/Schedule Reporting |
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Definition
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Term
Integrated logistics support |
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Definition
disciplined approach to activities necessary to a) cause support considerations to be integrated into product design, b) develop support arrangements that are consistently related to design and to each other, and c) provide the necessary support at the beginning and during customer use at optimum cost. |
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Term
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Definition
the process of bringing people, activities and other things together to perform effectively. |
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Term
Internal rate of return (IRR) |
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Definition
discount rate at which the net present value of a future cash flow is zero. |
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Term
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Definition
a project oriented organization structure that employs permanent specialists to support projects. |
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Term
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Definition
Generally, this term is equivalent to request for proposal. However, in some application areas it may have a narrower or more specific meaning. |
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Term
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Definition
An immediate problem requiring resolution. If a risk (see Risk) does occur, it may turn into an issue or issues and be managed as an issue. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
Key performance indicators |
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Definition
measurable indicators used to report progress chosen to reflect the critical success factors of the project. |
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Term
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Definition
difference between planned labor rates and actual labor rates. |
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Term
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Definition
device for representing a set of overlapping activities in a network diagram. Note: The start and finish of each succeeding activity are linked only to the start and finish of the preceding activity by lead and lag activities, which consume only time. |
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Term
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Definition
a) In a network diagram, the minimum necessary lapse of time between the finish of one activity and the finish of an overlapping activity or b) delay incurred between two specified activities. For example, in a finish |
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Term
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Definition
calculated in the backward pass of time analysis, late dates are the latest dates by which an activity can be allowed to start or finish. |
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Term
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Definition
Latest time by which an event has to occur within the logical and imposed constraints of the network, without affecting the total project duration. |
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Term
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Definition
calculated from backward pass, it is the latest date an event can occur. |
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Term
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Definition
In the critical path method, the latest possible point in time that an activity may be completed without delaying a specified milestone (usually the project finish date). |
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Term
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Definition
the latest possible time by which an activity has to finish within the logical activity and imposed constraints of the network, without affecting the total project duration. |
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Term
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Definition
In the critical path method, the latest possible point in time that an activity may begin without delaying a specified milestone (usually the project finish date). |
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Term
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Definition
latest possible time by which an activity has to start within the logical and imposed constraints of the network, without affecting the total project duration. |
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Term
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Definition
in a network diagram, the minimum necessary lapse of time between the start of one activity and the start of an overlapping activity. For example, in a finish |
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Term
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Definition
the contractor who has responsibility for overall project management and quality assurance |
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Term
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Definition
getting others to follow. |
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Term
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Definition
a letter indicating intent to sign a contract, usually so that work can commence prior to signing that contract. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
a sequence of defined stages over the full duration of a project. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Assessment of the probability that a risk will occur. |
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Term
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Definition
See logical relationship. |
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Term
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Definition
a bar chart that shows the dependency links between activities |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
a diagram that displays the logical relationships between project activities. See project network diagram. |
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Term
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Definition
A dependency between two project activities, or between a project activity and a milestone. See also precedence relationship. The four possible types of logical relationships are: |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
A network path that passes the same node twice. Loops cannot be analyzed using traditional network analysis techniques and are treated as errors.LS Late Start date |
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Term
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Definition
a term used to describe normal management processes that are being project managed. |
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Term
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Definition
all aspects of staff planning, recruitment, development, training and assessment. |
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Term
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Definition
A separately planned quantity used to allow for future situations which are impossible to predict (sometimes called unknown unknowns). Management reserves may involve cost or schedule. Management reserves are intended to reduce the risk of missing cost or schedule objectives. Use of management reserve requires a change to the projects cost baseline. |
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Term
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Definition
A document that defines the goals and constraints of a project and functions as a working agreement or contract between the client and the project manager. |
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Term
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Definition
network showing the complete project, from which more detailed networks are derived |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
property which may be incorporated into or attached to an end item to be delivered under a contract, or which may be consumed or expended in the performance of a contract. It includes, but is not limited to, raw and processed material, parts, components, assemblies, fuels and lubricants, and small tools and supplies which may be consumed in normal use in the performance of a contract. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Any organizational structure in which the project manager shares responsibility with the functional managers for assigning priorities and for directing the work of individuals assigned to the project. |
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Term
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Definition
A documented process for management of projects containing the process, definitions, and roles and responsibilities. An organization may have multiple methodologies for various types of activities, initiatives, or projects. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
a key event. An event selected for its importance in the project. Note: milestones are commonly used in relation to progress. (A milestone is often chosen to represent the start of a new phase or the completion of a major deliverable. They are used to monitor progress at summary level. Milestones are activities of zero duration). |
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Term
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Definition
a plan containing only milestones which highlight key points of the project. |
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Term
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Definition
a schedule that identifies the major milestones. See also master schedule. |
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Term
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Definition
brief summary, approximately one or two sentences, that sums up the background, purposes and benefits of the project. |
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Term
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Definition
working to reduce risk by lowering its chances of occurring or by reducing its effect if it occurs. |
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Term
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Definition
the bringing together of project personnel and securing equipment and facilities. carried out during project start |
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Term
Modern Project Management (MPM) |
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Definition
A term used to distinguish the current broad range of project management (scope, cost, time, quality, risk, etc.) from narrower, traditional use that focused on cost and time. |
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Term
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Definition
The capture, analysis, and reporting of project performance, usually as compared to plan. |
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Term
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Definition
A schedule risk assessment technique used to estimate the likely range of outcomes from a complex process by simulating the process under randomly selected conditions a large number of times. |
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Term
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Definition
Modern Project Management |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
time by which the duration of an activity or path has to be reduced in order to permit a limiting imposed date to be achieved. |
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Term
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Definition
the estimated cost negotiated in a cost |
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Term
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Definition
the art of satisfying needs by reaching agreement or compromise with other parties. |
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Term
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Definition
aggregate of future net cash flows discounted back to a common base date, usually the present. |
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Term
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Definition
a pictorial presentation of project data in which the project logic is the main determinant of the placements of the activities in the drawing. Frequently called a flowchart, PERT chart, logic drawing, or logic diagram. See project network diagram. |
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Term
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Definition
The process of identifying early and late start and finish dates for the uncompleted portions of project activities. See also Critical Path Method, Program Evaluation and Review Technique, and Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique. |
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Term
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Definition
activity or event common to two or more network diagrams. |
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Term
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Definition
The collection of activity dependencies making up a project network diagram. |
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Term
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Definition
Any continuous series of connected activities in a project network diagram. |
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One of the defining points of a network; a junction point joined to some or all of the other dependency lines. See also arrow diagramming method and precedence diagramming method. |
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points in a network at which arrows start and finish. |
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Note: resources should not be diverted from a non |
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splittable activity to another activity. |
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a restriction on an activity that indicates that it may not start or end earlier than a specified date. |
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a restriction on an activity that indicates that it may not start or end later than a specified date. |
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predetermined results towards which effort is directed. |
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Organization(al) Breakdown Structure |
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period when the completed deliverable is used and maintained in service for its intended purpose. |
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the opposite of a risk. The chance to enhance the project benefits. |
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Order of magnitude estimate |
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Definition
an estimate carried out to give very approximate indication of likely out |
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Organizational breakdown structure (OBS) |
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Definition
hierarchical way in which the organization may be divided into management levels and groups, for planning and control purposes and to relate work packages to organizational units. |
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the design of the most appropriate organizational design for a project. |
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Identifying, documenting, and assigning project roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. |
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the initial budget established at or near the time a contract was signed or a project authorized, based on the negotiated contract cost or managements authorization. |
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the duration of activities or groups of activities as recorded in the baseline schedule. |
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a group of accounting elements which can be isolated to specific tasks, other than labor and material. Included in ODC are such items as travel, computer time, and services. |
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information that governs the final appearance of a report or drawing. (Usually refers to computergenerated documents). |
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coordinating and controlling changes across an entire project. |
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costs incurred in the operation of a business that cannot be directly related to the individual products or services being produced. See also indirect cost. |
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costs incurred in excess of the contract target costs on an incentive type contract or the estimated costs on a fixed |
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parallel activities are two or more activities than can be done at the same time. This allows a project to be completed faster than if the activities were arranged serially. |
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An estimating technique that uses a statistical relationship between historical data and other variables (e.g., square footage in construction, lines of code in software development) to calculate an estimate. |
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task within the work breakdown structure that embodies several subordinate child tasks. |
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A histogram, ordered by frequency of occurrence, that shows how many results were generated by each identified cause. |
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the persons or companies who sign a contract with one another. |
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A set of sequentially connected activities in a project network diagram. (Refer to critical path method for information on critical and non |
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In mathematical analysis, the tendency of parallel paths of approximately equal duration to delay the completion of the milestone where they meet. |
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Precedence Diagramming Method |
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Status describing project work submitted for review but not yet discussed. |
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An estimate, expressed as a percent, of the amount of work which has been completed on an activity or group of activities. May be aggregated to sections of a project or the whole project. |
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Performance measurement techniques |
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Definition
performance measurement techniques are the methods used to estimate earned value. Different methods are appropriate to different work packages, either due to the nature of the work or to the planned duration of the work package. |
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Collecting and disseminating information about project performance to help ensure project progress. |
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Performance specification |
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Definition
statement of the totality of needs expressed by the benefits, features, characteristics, process conditions, boundaries and constraints that together define the expected performance of a deliverable. Note: a performance specification should provide for innovation and alternative solutions, by not defining or unduly constraining the technical attributes of the intended deliverable. |
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a team building stage where the emphasis is on the work currently being performed. |
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The enterprise whose employees are most directly involved in doing the work of the project. |
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Program Evaluation and Review Technique |
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A specific type of project network diagram. See Program Evaluation and Review Technique. |
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that part of a project during which a set of related and interlinked activities are performed. Note: a project consists of a series of phases that together constitute the whole project life cycle. See project phase. |
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Physical percent complete |
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the percentage of the work content of an activity that has been achieved. |
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a form of testing a new development and its implementation prior to committing to its full release. |
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an intended future course of action. It is owned by the project manager, it is the basis of the project controls and includes the what, how, when, and who. |
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an activity not yet started. |
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estimated cost of achieving a specified objective. |
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See scheduled finish date. |
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See scheduled start date. |
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The sum of the budgets for all planned work scheduled to be accomplished within a given time period. Also known as the Budgeted Costs of Work Scheduled (BCWS). |
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a member of a project team or project support office with the responsibility for planning, scheduling and tracking of projects. They are often primarily concerned with schedule, progress and manpower resources. |
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the process of identifying the means, resources and actions necessary to accomplish an objective. |
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the stage prior to the implementation stage when product activity, resource and quality plans are produced. |
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Project Management or Project Manager |
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Project Management Body of Knowledge |
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Project Management Professional |
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A grouping of projects and programs for management convenience. They may or may not have a common objective and are often related only by the use of common resources, funding, or by company departments. |
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the management of a number of projects that do not share a common objective |
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positive float is defined as the amount of time that an activitys start can be delayed without affecting the project completion date. An activity with positive float is not on the critical path and is called a non |
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Post implementation review |
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Definition
an evaluation that provides feedback in order to learn for the future. |
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Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) |
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Definition
A network diagramming technique in which activities are represented by boxes (or nodes) and the relationship between them by arrows. Activities are linked by precedence relationships to show the sequence in which the activities are to be performed. |
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Definition
a multiple dependency network. An activity |
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The term used in the precedence diagramming method for a logical relationship. In current usage, however, precedence relationship, logical relationship, and dependency are widely used interchangeably regardless of the diagramming method in use. |
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an activity that must be completed (or be partially completed) before a specified activity can begin. |
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a main supplier who has a contract for much or all of the work on a contract |
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network containing alternative paths with which probabilities are associated |
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likelihood of a risk occurring. |
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set of interrelated resources and activities which transform inputs into outputs |
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the securing of goods or services |
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Determining what to procure and when. |
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Product breakdown structure |
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a hierarchy of deliverable products which are required to be produced on the project. It forms the base document from which the execution strategy and product |
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Definition
the description of the purpose form and components of a product. It should always be used as a basis for acceptance of the product by the customer. |
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represents how the products are produced by identifying their derivation and the dependencies between them. |
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A portfolio of projects selected, planned, and managed in a coordinated way to achieve a set of defined objectives; a single, large or very complex project with phases managed as separate projects; or a set of otherwise unrelated projects bounded by a business cycle. |
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Definition
a review to assess if targets have been reached and to measure the performance levels in the resulting business operations. |
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Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
the senior manager with the responsibility for the overall success of the program. |
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Definition
a committee that directs the program when circumstances arise where there is no individual to direct the program. |
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Term
Program evaluation and review technique (PERT) |
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Definition
PERT is a project management technique for determining how much time a project needs before it is completed. Each activity is assigned a best, worst, and most probable completion time estimate. These estimates are used to determine the average completion time. The average times are used to calculate the critical path and the standard deviation of completion times for the entire project. |
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Definition
the effective management of several individual but related projects or functional activities in order to produce an overall system that works effectively. |
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Program management Office |
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Definition
the office responsible for the business and technical management of a specific contract or program. |
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Definition
individual or body with responsibility for managing a group of projects. |
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Definition
a group that gives administrative support to the program manager and the program executive. |
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Definition
the partial completion of a project, or a measure of the same. |
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Definition
payments made to a contractor during the life of a fixed |
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Definition
a regular report to senior personnel, sponsors or stakeholders summarizing the progress of a project including key events, milestones, costs and other issues. |
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Definition
The application of resources to a unique set of coordinated activities, with a defined start and finish, undertaken to meet specific objectives within defined cost and performance parameters. |
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Definition
the discipline of calculating the viability of a project. |
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Definition
reference date used as a basis for the start of a project calendar. |
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Definition
a project board is the body to which the project manager is accountable for achieving the project objectives. |
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Definition
statement that describes the purpose, cost, time and performance requirements/constraints for a project. (A statement of reference terms for a project. A written statement of the clients goals and requirements in relation to the project.) |
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Definition
a calendar that defines global project working and non |
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Definition
The process ensuring potential changes to a project including scope, cost, resources, time (schedule), deliverables, design, methods, costs, or any other planned aspects of a project are recorded, evaluated, authorized, and managed. |
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Term
Project Change Control Board (PCCB) |
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Definition
a formally constituted group of stakeholders responsible for approving or rejecting project change requests. In some cases, the project Steering Committee may serve as the PCCB. Project Charter. A document issued by senior management that provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. |
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Project Communications Management |
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Definition
A subset of project management that includes the processes required to ensure proper collection and dissemination of project information. It consists of communications planning, information distribution, performance reporting, and administrative closure. |
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Definition
communication linking various areas of a project to ensure the transfer of information or hardware at interface points at the appropriate times and identification of any further necessary resources. |
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Project coordination procedure |
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Definition
defines the parties relevant to the project and the approved means of communicating between them. |
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Definition
person within the parent organization who promotes and defends a project. |
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Definition
formal termination of a project at any point during its life. |
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Definition
a subset of project management including resource planning, cost estimating, cost control and cost budgeting in an effort to complete the project within its approved budget. |
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Definition
the general attitude toward projects within the business. |
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Definition
a report defining a project, i.e. Why it is required? What will be done? How when and where it will be delivered? The organization and resources required the standards and procedures to be followed. |
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Definition
the manager of a very large project that demands senior level responsibility or the person at the board level in an organization who has the overall responsibility for the management of projects. |
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Definition
the project environment is the context within which the project is formulated, assessed and realized. This includes all external factors that have an impact on the project. |
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Definition
a documented review of the projects performance, produced at project closure. It ensures that the experience of the project is recorded for the benefit of others. |
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Definition
a file containing the overall plans of a project and any other important documents. |
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Project Human Resource Management |
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Definition
A subset of project management that includes the processes required to make the most effective use of the people involved with the project. It consists of organizational planning, staff acquisition, and team development. |
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Definition
the beginning of a project at which point certain management activities are required to ensure that the project is established with clear reference terms and adequate management structure. |
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Project initiation document |
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Definition
a document approved by the project board at project initiation that defines the terms of reference for the project. |
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Project Integration Management |
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Definition
A subset of project management that includes the processes required to ensure that the various elements of the project are properly coordinated. It consists of project plan development, project plan execution, and overall change control. |
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Definition
a report that raises either technical or managerial issues in a project. |
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Definition
all phases or stages between a projects conception and its termination. |
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Definition
cumulative cost of a project over its whole life cycle |
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Definition
a project diary. A chronological record of significant occurrences throughout the project |
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Definition
the relationships between the various activities in a project. |
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Definition
a representation of the logical relationships of a project. |
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Term
Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) |
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Definition
An inclusive term describing the sum of knowledge within the profession of project management. As with other professions such as law, medicine, and accounting, the body of knowledge rests with the practitioners and academics who apply and advance it. The PMBOK includes proven, traditional practices which are widely applied as well as innovative and advanced ones which have seen more limited use. |
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Definition
a plan for carrying out a project, to meet specific objectives, that is prepared by or for the project manager |
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Project Management Office |
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Definition
The office or department responsible for establishing, maintaining and enforcing project delivery and management processes, procedures, and standards. It provides services, support, and training for project managers. |
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Project Management Professional (PMP) |
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Definition
An individual certified as such by the Project Management Institute. |
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Term
Project Management Software |
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Definition
A class of computer applications specifically designed to aid with planning and controlling project costs and schedules. |
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Term
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Definition
The members of the project team who are directly involved in project management activities. On some smaller projects, the project management team may include virtually all of the project team members. |
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Definition
The person responsible for all elements of planning, managing, executing, and controlling the project and who is responsible for bringing the project in on time, cost, to specifications, and to a given quality with agreed upon resources |
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Definition
The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project. |
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Definition
an organization matrix that is project based, in which the functional structures are duplicated in each project. |
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Definition
comparison of current project status with what was planned to be done to identify and report any deviations. |
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Definition
representation of activities and/or events with their inter |
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Definition
Any schematic display of the logical relationships of project activities. Always drawn from left to right to reflect project chronology. Often incorrectly referred to as a PERT chart. |
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Term
Project network techniques |
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Definition
group of techniques that, for the description, analysis, planning, and control of projects, considers the logical inter |
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Definition
structure that is created or evolves to serve the project and its participants. (A term which refers to the structure, roles, and responsibilities of the project team and its interfaces to the outside world.) |
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Definition
A collection of logically related project activities, usually culminating in the completion of a major deliverable. |
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Definition
A formal, approved document used to guide both project execution and project control. The primary uses of the project plan are to document planning assumptions and decisions, to facilitate communication among stakeholders, and to document approved scope, cost, and schedule baselines. A project plan may be summary or detailed. |
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Definition
Taking the results of other planning processes and putting them into a consistent, coherent document. |
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Definition
Carrying out the project plan by performing the activities included therein. |
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Definition
The development and maintenance of the project plan. |
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Definition
the constituent projects within a program. |
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Project Portfolio Management (PPM |
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Definition
The organization of projects and programs into a single portfolio to allow prioritization based on factors such as alignment with corporate strategy, ROI, risk, applied resource levels, and technology focus. Used wisely, it will increase the companys value by exposing redundant or risky projects, while revealing how to shift funds from low |
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Project procedures manual |
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Definition
a collected set of the management and administrative procedures needed for the project. |
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project procurement management |
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Definition
a subset of project management that includes procurement planning, source selection, enquiry, tender assessment, placement of purchase orders and contracts for goods and services, contract and purchase order administration and close |
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Definition
formal statement that compares the project progress, achievements and expectations with the project plan. |
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Project Quality Management |
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Definition
A subset of project management including the processes required to ensure that the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken. It consists of quality planning, quality assurance, and quality control. |
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Project Procurement Management |
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Definition
A subset of project management that includes the processes required to acquire goods and services from outside the performing organization. It consists of procurement planning, solicitation planning, solicitation, source selection, contract administration, and contract closeout. |
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Term
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Definition
calendar of project review dates, meetings and issues of reports set against project week numbers or dates. |
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Definition
A subset of project management including the processes concerned with identifying, analyzing, and responding to project risk. It consists of risk identification, risk quantification, risk response development, and risk response control. |
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Definition
The planned dates for performing activities and meeting milestones. |
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Term
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Definition
A subset of project management including the processes required to ensure that the project includes all of the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully. It consists of initiation, scope planning, scope definition, scope verification, and scope change control. |
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Definition
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Definition
a report on the status of accomplishments and any variances to spending and schedule plans. |
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Term
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Definition
a comprehensive definition of how a project will be developed and managed. |
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Term
Project success/failure criteria |
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Definition
the criteria by which the success or failure of a project may be judged. |
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Term
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Definition
the central location of planning and project support functions. Often provides personnel and facilities for centralized planning, cost management, estimating, documentation control and sometimes procurement to a number of projects. |
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Term
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Definition
Set of individuals, groups and/or organizations that are responsible to the project manager for undertaking project tasks (this includes all contractors and consultants). |
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Definition
a plan produced at the beginning of a project that addresses technical issues and strategic issues related to quality control and configuration management. |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
an activity meant to improve the project organizations environment in order to improve project performance and reception. |
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Term
Qualitative risk analysis |
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Definition
a generic term for subjective methods of assessing risks. |
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Term
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Definition
a trait or characteristic used to measure the degree of excellence of a product or service. Meeting customers needs. |
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Term
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Definition
(1) The process of evaluating overall project performance on a regular basis to provide confidence that the project will satisfy the relevant quality standards. (2) The organizational unit that is assigned responsibility for quality assurance. |
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Term
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Definition
a plan that guarantees a quality approach and conformance to all customer requirements for all activities in a project. |
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Term
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Definition
an official examination to determine whether practices conform to specified standards or a critical analysis of whether a deliverable meets quality criteria |
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Term
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Definition
(1) The process of monitoring specific project results to determine if they comply with relevant quality standards and identifying ways to eliminate causes of unsatisfactory performance. (2) The organizational unit that is assigned responsibility for quality control. |
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Term
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Definition
the characteristics of a product that determines whether it meets certain requirements. |
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Term
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Definition
the quality guide describes quality and configuration management procedures and is aimed at people directly involved with quality reviews, configuration management and technical exceptions. |
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Term
Quality plan (for a project) |
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Definition
the part of the project plan that concerns quality management and quality assurance strategies. |
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Term
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Definition
Identifying which quality standards are relevant to the project and determining how to apply them. |
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Definition
a review of a product against an established set of quality criteria. |
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Term
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Definition
Responsibility Assignment Matrix |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
expenditures against specific tasks that would occur on a repetitive basis. Examples are hire of computer equipment, tool maintenance, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
a logical connection between two activities. |
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Term
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Definition
The time needed to complete an activity or project. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
a proposal by the project manager for a change to the project as a result of a project issue report. |
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Term
Request for Proposal (RFP) |
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Definition
A type of bid document used to solicit proposals from prospective sellers of products or services. In some application areas it may have a narrower or more specific meaning. |
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Term
Request for Quotation (RFQ) |
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Definition
Generally, this term is equivalent to request for proposal, but with more specific application areas. |
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Term
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Definition
a negotiated set of measurable customer wants and needs. |
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Term
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Definition
statement of the needs that a project has to satisfy. |
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Term
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Definition
A provision in the project plan to mitigate cost and/or schedule risk. Often used with a modifier (e.g., management reserve, contingency reserve) to provide further detail on what types of risk are meant to be mitigated. The specific meaning of the modified term varies by application area. |
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Term
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Definition
Any personnel, material or equipment required for the performance of an activity. |
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Term
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Definition
summation of the requirements for each resource, and for each time period. Note: where the earliest start time of an activity is used alone, it is often termed an early start aggregation. Similarly a late start aggregation uses the latest start times. |
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Term
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Definition
scheduling of activities and the resources required by those activities, so that predetermined constraints of resource availability and/or project time are not exceeded. |
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Term
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Definition
the process of analyzing and optimizing the use of resources on a project. Often uses resource leveling and resource smoothing techniques. |
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Term
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Definition
the work on an activity related to a specific resource. |
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Term
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Definition
the level of availability of a resource, which may vary over time. |
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Term
Resource breakdown structure |
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Definition
a hierarchical structure of resources that enables scheduling at the detailed requirements level, and roll up of both requirements and availabilities to a higher level. |
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Term
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Definition
a calendar that defines the working and non |
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Term
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Definition
limitation due to the availability of a resource. |
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Term
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Definition
process of accumulating the requirements for each resource to give the total required to date at all times throughout the project. |
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Term
Resource driven task durations |
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Definition
task durations that are driven by the need for scarce resources. |
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Term
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Definition
a view of project data in which resource requirements, usage, and availability are shown using vertical bars against a horizontal time scale. |
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Term
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Definition
a specified level of resource units required by an activity per time unit. |
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Term
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Definition
Any form of network analysis in which scheduling decisions (start and finish dates) are driven by resource management concerns (e.g., limited resource availability or difficult |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
a term for resource leveling and resource smoothing. |
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Term
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Definition
part of the definition statement stating how the program will be resource loaded and what supporting services, infrastructure and third party services are required. |
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Term
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Definition
Determining what resources (people, equipment, materials) are needed in what quantities to perform project activities. |
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Term
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Definition
the requirement for a particular resource by a particular activity. |
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Term
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Definition
the process of determining dates on which activities should be performed in order to smooth the demand for resources, or to avoid exceeding stated constraints on these restraints. |
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Definition
scheduling of activities, within the limits of their float, so that fluctuations in individual resource requirements are minimized. (In smoothing, as opposed to resource leveling, the project completion date may not be delayed) |
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a document correlating the work required by a work breakdown structure element to the functional organizations responsible for accomplishing the assigned tasks. |
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a defined unit within the organization structure which is assigned responsibility for accomplishing specific tasks, or cost accounts. |
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Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) |
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A structure which relates the project organization structure to the work breakdown structure to help ensure that each element of the projects scope of work is assigned to a responsible individual. |
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See responsibility assignment matrix. |
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See responsibility assignment matrix. |
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A portion of a contract payment that is held until contract completion in order to ensure full performance of the contract terms. |
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a part of payment withheld until the project is completed in order to ensure satisfactory performance or completion of contract terms. |
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expenditure charged to the profit and loss account as incurred or accrued due. |
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The likelihood of the occurrence of an event expressed in terms of probability, impact, and a triggering event. |
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systematic use of available information to determine how often specified events may occur and the magnitude of their likely consequences. (A technique designed to quantify the impact of uncertainty) |
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the process of identifying potential risks, quantifying their likelihood of occurrence and assessing their likely impact on the project |
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planning activities to avoid risks that have been identified. |
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Definition
process used to determine risk management priorities. |
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Definition
A discrete occurrence that may affect the project for better or worse. |
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Determining which risk events are likely to affect the project. |
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Definition
systematic application of policies, procedures, methods and practices to the tasks of identifying, analyzing, evaluating, treating and monitoring risk. (The process whereby decisions are made to accept known or assessed risks and /or the implementation of actions to reduce the consequences or probability of occurrence.) |
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A document defining how project risk analysis and management is to be implemented in the context of a particular project. |
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Definition
a matrix with risks located in rows and with impact and likelihood in columns. |
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ordering of risks according first to their risk value, and then by which risks need to be considered for risk reduction, risk avoidance, and risk transfer. |
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Evaluating the probability of risk event occurrence and effect. |
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allocating a classification to the impact and likelihood of a risk. |
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action taken to reduce the likelihood and impact of a risk. |
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formal record of identified risks (a body of information listing all the risks identified for the project, explaining the nature of each risk and recording information relevant to its assessment and management). |
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Definition
contingency plans to manage a risk should it materialize (action to reduce the probability of the risk arising, or to reduce the significance of its detrimental impact if it does arise). |
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Responding to changes in risk over the course of the project. |
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Risk Response Development |
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Definition
Defining enhancement steps for opportunities and mitigation steps for threats. |
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risk that can occur as a result of treating a risk. |
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diminution of a risk by sharing it with others, usually for some consideration. |
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a contractual arrangement between two parties for delivery and acceptance of a product where the liability for the costs of a risk is transferred from one party to the other. |
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selection and implementation of appropriate options for dealing with risk. |
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Definition
the standards and methods which minimize to an acceptable level the likelihood of accident or damage to people or equipment |
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the timetable for a project. It shows how project tasks and milestones are planned out over a period of time. |
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controlling schedule changes. |
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start and finish dates calculated with regard to resource or external constraints as well as project logic. |
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Schedule performance index (SPI) |
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Definition
ratio of work accomplished versus work planned, for a specified time period. The SPI is an efficiency rating for work accomplishment, comparing work accomplished to what should have been accomplished. |
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Definition
the difference between the budgeted cost of work performed and the budgeted cost of work scheduled at any point in time. |
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Definition
the earliest date on which an activity can finish, having regard to resource or external constraints as well as project logic. |
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the earliest date on which an activity can start, having regard to resource or external constraints as well as project logic. |
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Definition
scheduling is the process of determining when project activities will take place depending on defined durations and precedent activities. Schedule constraints specify when an activity should start or end based on duration, predecessors, external predecessor relationships, resource availability, or target dates. |
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the scope is the sum of work content of a project. |
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any change in a project scope that requires a change in the projects cost or schedule. |
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controlling changes to the scope. |
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ensuring all identified project deliverables have been completed satisfactorily. |
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a description of the work to be accomplished or resources to be supplied. |
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the risk that may occur as a result of invoking a risk response or fall |
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(1) Any difference between the scheduled completion of an activity and the actual completion of that activity. (2) In earned value, BCWP less BCWS. |
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sequence is the order in which activities will occur with respect to one another. |
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Scheduled Finish date or Start |
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Cost Estimates An estimate of the cost of a product or service used to provide an assessment of the reasonableness of a prospective contractors proposed cost. |
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Definition
calculated time span during which an event has to occur within the logical and imposed constraints of the network, without affecting the total project duration. Note 1: it may be made negative by an imposed date. Note 2. the term slack is used as referring only to an event. See PERT. |
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Definition
a pictorial representation of the predicted completion dates of milestones (also referred to as trend chart) |
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the amount of slack or float time used up by the current activity due to a delayed start or increased duration. |
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a project that is intended to bring about change and does not have a physical end product. |
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soft skills include team building, conflict management and negotiation. |
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Obtaining quotations, bids, offers, or proposals as appropriate. |
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Documenting product requirements and identifying potential sources. |
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Choosing from among potential contractors. |
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Schedule Performance Index |
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activity that can be interrupted in order to allow its resources to be transferred temporarily to another activity. |
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Scheduled Start date or Start |
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Getting the human resources needed assigned to and working on the project. |
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a natural high level subsection of a project that has its own organizational structure, lifespan and manager. |
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payment part way through a project at some predetermined milestone. |
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Individuals and organizations involved in or affected by project activities. Project managers, sponsors, and clients/customers are all stakeholders. |
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The date project work is officially scheduled to begin. |
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event with succeeding, but no preceding activities. |
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a starting activity has no predecessors. It does not have to wait for any other activity to start. |
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A narrative description of products or services to be supplied under contract. |
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The comparison of actual against planned progress to determine variance and corrective action. Possible statuses are: Active, Approved, Cancelled, Completed, On |
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Steering Committee A group of high |
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level stakeholders responsible for providing guidance on overall strategic direction and represent the goals of the customer/client. |
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Definition
a body established to monitor the project and give guidance to the project sponsor or project manager. |
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a contractual document which legally transfers the responsibility and effort of providing goods, services, data, or other hardware, from one firm to another. |
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an organization that supplies goods or services to a supplier. |
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a division of a project network diagram representing a subproject. |
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a group of activities represented as a single activity within a higher level of the overall project. |
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criteria to be used for judging if the project is successful. |
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critical factors that will ensure achievement of success criteria. |
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a successor is an activity whose start or finish depends on the start or finish of a predecessor activity. |
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(1) In the arrow diagramming method, the activity which departs a node. (2) In the precedence diagramming method, the to activity. |
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unavoidable costs (even if the project were to be terminated) |
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includes contractors, consultants and any organization that supplies services or goods to the customer. |
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the complete technical output of the project including technical products. |
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Systems and procedure detail the standard methods, practices, and procedures of handling frequently occurring events within the project. |
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management that includes the prime activities of systems analysis, systems design and engineering and systems development. |
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The date planned to finish work on a project, initiative, or activity. |
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Definition
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Term
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The planned date for start of work on a project, initiative, or activity. |
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Developing individual and group skills to enhance project performance. |
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See project team members. |
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Total Float or Target Finish date |
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Term
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a date which contractors strive towards for completion of the activity. |
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Definition
date imposed on an activity or project by the user. There are two types of target dates; target start dates, and target finish dates. |
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Definition
The date work is planned (targeted) to finish on an activity. |
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Definition
The date work is planned (targeted) to start on an activity. |
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Term
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Definition
the date planned to start work on an activity. |
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the smallest indivisible part of an activity when it is broken down to a level best understood and performed by a specific person or organization. |
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a team is made up of two or more people working interdependently towards a common goal and a shared reward. |
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the ability to gather the right people to join a project team and get them working together for the benefit of a project. |
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developing skills, as a group and individually, that enhance project performance. |
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person responsible for leading a team. |
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the monitoring of the technical integrity of products. |
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a document that guides managers, team leaders and technical assurance coordinators on planning the production of products. |
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Definition
products produced by a project for an end user. |
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a document proposing to meet a specification in a certain way and at a stated price (or on a particular financial basis), an offer of price and conditions under which the tenderer is willing to undertake work for the client. |
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completion of the project, either upon formal acceptance of its deliverables by the client and/or the disposal of such deliverables at the end of their life |
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Definition
a specification of a team members responsibilities and authorities within the project. |
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Definition
activities that have to be performed sequentially or within a predetermined time of each other |
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the process of calculating the early and late dates for each activity on a project, based on the duration of the activities and the logical relations between them. |
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a linked bar chart, a bar chart that shows the logical and time relationships between activities. |
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Definition
scheduling of activities, so that the specified project duration, or any imposed dates, are not exceeded. |
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Definition
limited resource scheduling |
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Definition
specified date from which the forward analysis is deemed to commence (The date to which current progress is reported. Sometimes referred to as the status date because all progress information entered for a project should be correct as of this date) |
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the recording of effort expended on each activity in order to update a project plan. |
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a means of recording the actual effort expended against project and non |
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the total project cost is estimated based on historical costs and other project variables and then subdivided down to individual activities. |
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Definition
time by which an activity may be delayed or extended without affecting the total project duration (or violating a target finish date). See float |
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Total Quality Management (TQM) |
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Definition
a strategic, integrated management systems for customer satisfaction that guides all employees in every aspect of their work. |
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Definition
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dependency link that requires time and no other resources. It may be a negative time |
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Total Quality Management (TQM) |
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A common approach to implementing a quality improvement program within an organization. |
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a report created specially for the various responsible managers to enter their progress status against a list of activities that are scheduled to be in progress during a particular time window. |
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infinite schedule, schedule produced without resource constraint. |
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the group of people who are intended to benefit from the project. |
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a standard, principle, or quality considered worthwhile or desirable. |
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a structured means of improving business effectiveness that includes the use of management techniques such as value engineering and value analysis. |
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Definition
a technique for analyzing qualitative and quantitative costs and benefits of component parts of a proposed system. |
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Definition
a technique for assessing, before significant investment is made, the desirability of a proposal based on the value that will accrue to the organization from that proposal. |
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Definition
a discrepancy between the actual and planned performance on a project, either in terms of schedule or cost. |
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Definition
the difference between budget at completion and estimate at completion. |
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Definition
a change in scope or timing of work which a supplier is obliged to do under a contract. |
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the document authorizing an approved technical change or variation. |
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the total number of hours, people or effort required to complete a task. |
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Definition
a code that represents the family tree of an element in a work breakdown structure. |
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Definition
A response to a negative risk event. Distinguished from contingency plan in that a workaround is not planned in advance of the occurrence of the risk event. |
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Term
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) |
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Definition
A deliverable oriented grouping of project elements that organizes and defines the total work scope of the project. Each descending level represents an increasingly detailed definition of the project work. |
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Definition
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Definition
workload is the amount of work units assigned to a resource over a period of time. |
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Definition
A group of related tasks that are defined at the same level within a work breakdown structure. (In traditional cost/schedule systems, the criteria for defining work packages is as follows: |
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3. Each work package has an assigned budget that is time |
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Definition
phased over the duration of the work package, |
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5. Each work package has a schedule that is integrated with higher |
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Definition
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Definition
work units provide the measurement units for resources. For example, people as a resource can be measured by the number of hours they work. |
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Definition
zero float is a condition where there is no excess time between activities. An activity with zero float is considered a critical activity. If the duration of any critical activity is increased (the activity slips), the project finish date will slip |
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