Term
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Definition
| The process of obtaining the human resources needed to complete the project. |
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Term
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Definition
A component of work performed during the course of a project. See also schedule
activity. |
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Term
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Definition
Multiple attributes associated with each schedule activity
that can be included within the activity list. Activity attributes include activity codes,
predecessor activities, successor activities, logical relationships, leads and lags,
resource requirements, imposed dates, constraints, and assumptions. |
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Term
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Definition
The process of identifying the specific schedule activities that
need to be performed to produce the various project deliverables. |
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Term
| Activity Description (AD) |
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Definition
A short phrase or label for each schedule activity used in
conjunction with an activity identifier to differentiate that project schedule activity from other schedule activities. The activity description normally describes the scope of work
of the schedule activity. |
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Term
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Definition
The time in calendar units between the start and finish of a schedule
activity. See also actual duration, original duration, and remaining duration. |
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Term
| Activity Duration Estimating |
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Definition
The process of estimating the number of work
periods that will be needed to complete individual schedule activities. |
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Term
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Definition
A documented tabulation of schedule activities that shows the
activity description, activity identifier, and a sufficiently detailed scope of work
description so project team members understand what work is to be performed. |
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Term
| Activity Resource Estimating |
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Definition
The process of estimating the types and quantities
of resources required to perform each schedule activity. |
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Term
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Definition
The process of identifying and documenting dependencies
among schedule activities. |
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Term
Actual Cost (AC)
or old term
Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP) |
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Definition
Total costs actually incurred and recorded in accomplishing work
performed during a given time period for a schedule activity or work breakdown
structure component. Actual cost can sometimes be direct labor hours alone, direct costs
alone, or all costs including indirect costs. Also referred to as the actual cost of work
performed (ACWP). See also earned value management and earned value technique. |
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Term
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Definition
The time in calendar units between the actual start date of the schedule
activity and either the data date of the project schedule if the schedule activity is in
progress or the actual finish date if the schedule activity is complete. |
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Term
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Definition
An estimating technique that uses the values of
parameters, such as scope, cost, budget, and duration or measures of scale such as size,
weight, and complexity from a previous, similar activity as the basis for estimating the
same parameter or measure for a future activity. It is frequently used to estimate a
parameter when there is a limited amount of detailed information about the project (e.g.,
in the early phases). Analogous estimating is a form of expert judgment. Analogous
estimating is most reliable when the previous activities are similar in fact and not just in
appearance, and the project team members preparing the estimates have the needed
expertise. |
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Term
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Definition
A change request that has been processed through
the integrated change control process and approved. Contrast with requested change. |
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Term
| Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM) |
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Definition
A schedule network diagramming
technique in which schedule activities are represented by arrows. The tail of the arrow
represents the start, and the head represents the finish of the schedule activity. (The
length of the arrow does not represent the expected duration of the schedule activity.)
Schedule activities are connected at points called nodes (usually drawn as small circles)
to illustrate the sequence in which the schedule activities are expected to be performed. |
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Term
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Definition
Factors that, for planning purposes, are
considered to be true, real, or certain without proof or demonstration. 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 technique that explores the accuracy of assumptions
and identifies risks to the project from inaccuracy, inconsistency, or incompleteness of
assumptions. |
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Term
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Definition
A graphic display of schedule-related information. In the typical bar
chart, schedule activities or work breakdown structure components are listed down the
left side of the chart, dates are shown across the top, and activity durations are shown as
date-placed horizontal bars. Also called a Gantt chart. |
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Term
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Definition
A method of estimating a component of work. The
work is decomposed into more detail. An estimate is prepared of what is needed to meet
the requirements of each of the lower, more detailed pieces of work, and these estimates
are then aggregated into a total quantity for the component of work. The accuracy of
bottom-up estimating is driven by the size and complexity of the work identified at the
lower levels. Generally smaller work scopes increase the accuracy of the estimates. |
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Term
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Definition
A general data gathering and creativity technique that can be
used to identify risks, ideas, or solutions to issues by 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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Term
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Definition
A collection of formal documented procedures that
define how project deliverables and documentation will be controlled, changed, and
approved. In most application areas the change control system is a subset of the
configuration management system. |
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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, and equipment). 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 process of finalizing all activities across all of the project
process groups to formally close the project or phase. |
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Term
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Definition
Those processes performed to formally terminate all
activities of a project or phase, and transfer the completed product to others or close a cancelled project. |
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Term
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Definition
Any numbering system used to uniquely identify each component
of the work breakdown structure. |
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Term
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Definition
An organizational placement strategy where the project team
members are physically located close to one another in order to improve communication,
working relationships, and productivity. |
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