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| Is the ability to recognize the importance of verbal and nonverbal listening behaviors including body language. It’s also the ability to utilize gestures and body language consciously (with consideration for cultural differences) to put people at ease and enhance communication |
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| Defines and controls changes to project deliverables. Any documented procedure used to apply technical and administrative direction and surveillance to: define and document characteristics of a system; control changes; record and report changes; ensure conformance to requirements |
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Definition
| A method for integrating scope, schedule, and resources, and for measuring project performance. It compares the amount of work that was planned, versus actually earned, versus actually spent, to determine if cost and schedule performance are as planned |
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| Probability and Impact Matrix |
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Definition
| A common way to determine whether a risk is considered low, moderate, or high by combining the two dimensions of a risk: its probability of occurrence and its impact on objectives if it occurs |
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| Describes the portion of the product to be contracted. In general, this is different from the product description (which tends to be more broader). Under the circumstance where the seller is producing the entire product, the distinction between SOW and the product description becomes moot |
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| A general creativity technique that can be used to identify risks using a group of team members or subject-matter experts. Typically, a brainstorming session is structured so that each participant’s ideas are recorded for later analysis |
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| The legal relationship that exist between the parties to a contract that allows either party to enforce contractual rights against the other party and seek remedy directly from the other party |
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| Schedule Performance Index (SPI) |
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Definition
| The schedule efficiency ratio of earned value accomplished against the planned value. The SPI describes what portion of the planned schedule was actually accomplished. The SPI = EV divided by PV |
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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, EV less BCWS = SV |
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| The physical work scheduled, plus the authorized budget to accomplish the scheduled work. Previously, this was called the budgeted costs for work scheduled (BCWS) |
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Definition
| A supposition that states that a relatively small number of causes will typically produce a large majority of the problems or defects. Commonly referred to as the 80/20 principle in which 80% of the problems can be attributed to 20% of the causes |
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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
| Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) |
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Definition
| An event-oriented network analysis technique used to estimate program duration when there is uncertainty in the individual activity duration estimates. PERT applies the critical path method using durations that are computed by a weighted average of optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely duration estimates |
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Term
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Definition
| A method for integrating scope, schedule, and resources, and for measuring project performance. It compares the amount of work that was planned, versus actually earned, versus actually spent, to determine if cost and schedule performance are as planned |
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Term
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Definition
| Is a technique in which cost and schedule tradeoffs are analyzed to determine how, if at all, to obtain the greatest amount of compression for the least incremental cost. Does not always produce a viable alternative and often results in increased cost |
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Definition
| Quantitative assessments of the likely costs of the resources required to complete project activities. (may be presented in summary or detail) Must be estimated for all resources that will be charged to the project. This includes, but is not limited to: labor, materials, supplies, and special categories such as inflation allowance or cost reserve |
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Definition
| A diagram that describes a decision under consideration and the implications of choosing one or another of the available alternatives. It incorporates probabilities or risks and the costs or rewards of each logical path of events and future decisions |
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Definition
| Obstacles that impede communications. For example: limited communication channels, distance, noise, cultural differences, organizational climate, perceptions, limited information, withholding of information, terminology, number of communication links, manipulation (hidden agenda), etc |
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Definition
| The mathematical examination of the nature of individual risks on the project, as well as potential arrangements of interdependent risks. It includes the quantification of their respective impact severity, probability, and sensitivity to changes in related project variables, including the project life cycle |
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Term
| Precedence Diagram Method (PDM) |
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Definition
| A network diagramming technique in which activities are represented by nodes. Activities are linked by precedence relationships to show the sequence in which the activities are to be performed. Also called Activity-On-Node (AON). |
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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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Definition
| A sequence of activities which determines the earliest possible completion (duration) of the project. The critical path is usually defined as those activities with float less than or equal to a specified value (usually zero). It is the longest path through the project. A project may have multiple critical paths |
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Definition
| A concise and accurate description of the end products or deliverables to be expected from the project and that meet specified requirements as agreed between the Project's Stakeholders |
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Definition
| The calculation of late finish and start dates for the uncompleted portions of all network activities. Determined by working backwards through the network logic from the project’s end date. The end date may be calculated by a forward pass or set by the customer or sponsor |
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Term
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Definition
| Occurs when a large portion of the message is lost from the sender to the receiver. Generally caused by problems of language, culture, semantics, knowledge base, etc. Filtering can be deliberate and positive as in the case of upward communications where the subordinate “filters” information that the superior does not need or want to know |
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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
| Analysis to determine if a course of action is possible within the terms of reference of the project |
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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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Definition
| The full completion of a project signed off by all responsible parties and the finalization of all paperwork. Contractually concluded by a consultant's total performance Certificate |
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Definition
| A form of Leadership in which the Leader, directs activities from a position of power and without consideration of the views of those being lead |
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Definition
| Is all the planned and systematic activities implemented within the quality system to provide confidence that the project will satisfy the relevant quality standards |
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Term
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Definition
| Describes in very specific terms, what something is and how it is measured by the quality control process |
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Definition
| A subsidiary element of the overall project plan which documents the procedures that will be used to manage risk throughout the project |
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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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Definition
| Type of power that refers to negative consequences that a person can inflict on others. (firing, docking, reprimand, etc.) |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of power that refers to negative consequences that a person can inflict on others. (firing, docking, reprimand, etc.) |
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Term
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Definition
| The logical order of tasks that defines the sequence of work in a project. Networks are usually drawn from left to right, with lines drawn between to indicate the precedence between tasks. Arrow heads are often placed on the lines to indicate the direction of the flow through time |
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Term
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Definition
| A determination based on relative overall costs for an assumed quantity of production, to produce the product in-house or to purchase from outside sources |
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Definition
| The view that our effort will be greatest when we expect that we can perform the task at hand and that we expect to obtain rewards for our performance |
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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 |
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Definition
| The number of time periods up to the point at which cumulative revenues exceed cumulative costs and, therefore, the project has turned a profit |
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Term
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Definition
| Is engaged listening. It requires patience, self-control, empathy, and a willingness to understand the other person’s perspective. Helps facilitate the development of mutual trust, respect, and good working relationships thus improving the overall performance of the team |
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Definition
| An organizational structure in which staff are grouped hierarchically by specialty (e.g., production, marketing, engineering, accounting) at the top level and then further divided within specialty |
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Definition
| A graphic display of the results, over time and against established control limits, of a process. The charts are used to determine if the process is in control or in need of adjustment |
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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 |
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Term
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Definition
| The calculation of late finish and start dates for the uncompleted portions of all network activities. Determined by working backwards through the network logic from the project’s end date. The end date may be calculated by a forward pass or set by the customer or sponsor |
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Term
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Definition
| A formal document issued by senior management which explains the purpose of the project including the business need the project addresses and the resulting product. It provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities |
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Term
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Definition
| Is the process where an organization will compare its processes, products, performance against other organizations. These other organizations can be in the same or other industries |
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Definition
| The likelihood of occurrence. The ratio of the number of chances by which an event may happen (or not happen) to the sum of the chances of both happening and not happening |
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Term
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Definition
| Includes the processes concerned with identifying, analyzing, and responding to project risk |
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Term
| Probability and Impact Matrix |
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Definition
| A common way to determine whether a risk is considered low, moderate, or high by combining the two dimensions of a risk: its probability of occurrence and its impact on objectives if it occurs |
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Term
| Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) |
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Definition
| A structure that relates the project organization structure to the WBS to help ensure that each element of the project's scope of work is assigned to a responsible individual |
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Term
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Definition
| Factors that for planning purposes are considered to be true, real, or certain. Assumptions affect all aspects of project planning and are part of the progressive elaboration of the project. Project teams frequently identify, document, and validate assumptions as part of their planning process. Assumptions generally involve a degree of risk |
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Term
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Definition
| A legal document of purchase or sale which is binding on both parties. When entering into a contract, the people involved must have legal capacity to do so. (the definition of legal capacity varies from state to state). Consideration must be provided to both parties (in other words, there must be sufficient cause to contract). There must be mutual assent |
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