A value proposition for a proposed project that may include financial and nonfinancial benefits

A risk response strategy whereby the team acknowledges that a risk is outside of its sphere of influence and shifts the ownership of the risk to a higher level of the organization where it is more effectively managed

Those processes required to track, review, and regulate the progress and performance of the project; identify any areas in which changes to the plan are required; and initiate corresponding changes

The framework for directing and enabling an organization through its established policies, practices, and other relevant documentation

A written record of regular entries for evolving aspects of a project, such as risks, stakeholders, or defects

The measure of how efficiently work moves through a given process or framework

Quantifiable measures of technical performance that are used to ensure system components meet the technical requirements

The performance domain that addresses activities and functions associated with the initial, ongoing, and evolving organization and coordination necessary for delivering project deliverables and results

A development approach that focuses on an initial, simplified implementation then progressively elaborates adding to the feature set until the final deliverable is complete

A measure of a team’s productivity rate at which the deliverables are produced, validated, and accepted within a predefined interval

An end result or consequence of a process or project

A timeboxed cycle of development on a product or deliverable in which all of the work that is needed to deliver value is performed

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 the seller meets defined performance criteria

A hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables

The quantified description of acceptable variation for a quality requirement

Requirements imposed by a governmental body. These requirements can establish product, process, or service characteristics, including applicable administrative provisions that have government-mandated compliance.

A method of systematically gathering and analyzing quantitative and qualitative information to determine whose interests should be taken into account throughout the project

A method used to create and evolve the product, service, or result during the project life cycle, such as a predictive, iterative, incremental, agile, or hybrid method

A risk response strategy whereby the project team decides to acknowledge the risk and not take any action unless the risk occurs

The knowledge gained during a project, which shows how project events were addressed or should be addressed in the future, for the purpose of improving future performance

A diagram that shows large numbers of ideas classified into groups for review and analysis

A visualization tool that shows work in progress to help identify bottlenecks and overcommitments, thereby allowing the team to optimize the workflow

A series of phases that represent the evolution of a product, from concept through delivery, growth, maturity, and to retirement

A type of contract involving payment to the seller for the seller’s actual costs, plus a fee typically representing the seller’s profit.

Personal knowledge that can be difficult to articulate and share such as beliefs, experience, and insights

A component of the project or program management plan that describes how requirements will be analyzed, documented, and managed

An adaptive development approach in which the deliverable is produced successively, adding functionality until the deliverable contains the necessary and sufficient capability to be considered complete

The comparison of actual or planned products, processes, and practices to those of comparable organizations to identify best practices, generate ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for measuring performance

An analytical method where a series of input variables are examined in relation to their corresponding output results in order to develop a mathematical or statistical relationship

A gathering of team members and other key stakeholders at the outset of a project to formally set expectations, gain a common understanding, and commence work

A graph that shows the relationship between two variables

A risk response strategy whereby the project team acts to increase the probability of occurrence or impact of an opportunity

An analysis method that uses a set of measures associated with scope, schedule, and cost to determine the cost and schedule performance of a project

An advisory body of senior stakeholders who provide direction and support for the portfolio, program, or project team and make decisions outside of the team’s authority.

A method for determining the cause and degree of difference between the baseline and actual performance

A tally sheet that can be used as a checklist when gathering data

An analytical method that uses mathematical models to forecast future outcomes based on historical results

The performance domain that addresses activities and functions associated with assessing project performance and taking appropriate actions to maintain acceptable performance

The work defined at the lowest level of the work breakdown structure for which cost and duration are estimated and managed

A risk response strategy whereby the project team shifts the impact of a threat to a third party, together with ownership of the response

An estimate of the amount of business functionality in an information system, used to calculate the functional size measurement of a software system

A large, related body of work intended to hierarchically organize a set of requirements and deliver specific business outcomes

The expected total cost of completing all work expressed as the sum of the actual cost to date and the estimate to complete

The worth, importance, or usefulness of something

A detailed plan for the current iteration

A graph that displays cumulative costs over a specified period of time

A visual model of all the features and functionality desired for a given product, created to give the team a holistic view of what they are building and why

Projects, programs, subsidiary portfolios, and operations managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives

A document that records the team values, agreements, and operating guidelines, as well as establishes clear expectations regarding acceptable behavior by project team members

The series of phases that a project passes through from its start to its completion. Also known as project life cycle

A component of the project management plan that establishes the change control board, documents the extent of its authority, and describes how the change control system will be implemented

A component of the project or program management plan that describes how applicable policies, procedures, and guidelines will be implemented to achieve the quality objectives

Methods used to prioritize portfolio, program, or project components, as well as requirements, risks, features, or other product information

A method used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources

An estimating method in which an algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration based on historical data and project parameters

The process of classifying items into similar categories or collections on the basis of their likeness

A fixed-price contract, but with a special provision allowing for predefined final adjustments to the contract price due to changed conditions, such as inflation changes, or cost increases (or decreases) for specific commodities

A logical grouping of project management inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs. The Project Management Process Groups include Initiating processes, Planning processes, Executing processes, Monitoring and Controlling processes, and Closing processes

A type of activity where the length of time required to complete the activity remains constant regardless of the number of people or resources assigned to the activity.

An estimating method that involves using data to calculate a single value which reflects a best guess estimate

A quantitative assessment of the likely amount or outcome of a variable, such as project costs, resources, effort, or durations

Within the quality management system, it is an assessment of correctness

The estimated value of an outcome expressed in monetary terms

A collection of logically related project activities that culminates in the completion of one or more deliverables. See also phase gate.

Creating simplified representations of systems, solutions, or deliverables, such as prototypes, diagrams, or storyboards

A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result

The measure of acceptable variation around an objective that reflects the risk appetite of the organization and stakeholders. See also risk appetite

The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives. See also project lead

A diagram that shows the average cycle time of the work items completed over time

A significant point or event in a project, program, or portfolio

An estimating method in which subject matter experts go through multiple rounds of producing estimates individually, with a team discussion after each round, until a consensus is achieved

A hierarchical representation of the project organization that illustrates the relationship between project activities and the organizational units that will perform those activities. See also resource breakdown structure, risk breakdown structure, and work breakdown structure (WBS).

The evaluation of whether or not a product, service, or result complies with a regulation, requirement, specification, or imposed condition. See also validation

A type of fixed-price contract where the buyer pays the seller a set amount (as defined by the contract), regardless of the seller’s costs

An output of a schedule model that presents linked activities with planned dates, durations, milestones, and resources

Those processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase

A hierarchical representation of potential sources of risks

An individual, group, or organization that may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project, program, or portfolio

An artifact for describing and exploring how a user interacts with a system to achieve a specific goal

A risk response strategy whereby the project team acts to ensure that an opportunity occurs

The plan that sets expectations for the dates, features, and/or outcomes expected to be delivered over the course of multiple iterations. See also project management plan.

A meeting to examine and document the effectiveness of risk responses in dealing with overall project risk and with identified individual project risks.

Something toward which work is to be directed, a strategic position to be attained, a purpose to be achieved, a result to be obtained, a product to be produced, or a service to be performed

A diagramming and calculation method for evaluating the implications of a chain of multiple options in the presence of uncertainty

A hierarchical representation of resources by category and type

An analytical method that models the combined effect of uncertainties to evaluate their potential impact on objectives

A short, fixed period of time in which work is to be completed

A relationship that is contractually required or inherent in the nature of the work

A type of cognitive bias that confirms preexisting beliefs or hypotheses

A method used to create and evolve the product, service, or result during the project life cycle such as an adaptive, predictive, or hybrid method.

A person or group who provides resources and support for the project, program, or portfolio and is accountable for enabling success

A method of identifying the potential impacts of risk and uncertainty using multiple iterations of a computer model to develop a probability distribution of a range of outcomes that could result from a decision or course of action

A project document that includes information about project stakeholders including an assessment and classification of project stakeholders

An advisory body of senior stakeholders who provide direction and support for the project team and make decisions outside the project team’s authority

Artifacts that organize and present data and information in a visual format, such as charts, graphs, matrices, and diagrams

A risk response strategy whereby the project team acts to decrease the probability of occurrence or impact of a threat

A high-level time line that depicts such things as milestones, significant events, reviews, and decision points

A grid that links product requirements from their origin to the deliverables that satisfy them

A meeting held at the end of an iteration to demonstrate the work that was accomplished during the iteration

A category or rank used to distinguish items that have the same functional use but do not share the same requirements for quality

A relationship between project activities and non-project activities

An assessment that ensures assumptions and constraints are integrated into the project plans and documents, and that there is consistency among them

The series of phases that a project passes through from its start to its completion

A collection of logically related project activities that culminates in the completion of one or more deliverables

The process of analyzing the status of existing risks and identifying new risks. May also be known as risk reassessment

A grid for mapping the probability of occurrence of each risk and its impact on project objectives if that risk occurs

An event at the end of a phase or project to assess the status, evaluate the value delivered, and determine if the project is ready to move to the next phase or transition to operations

A relationship that is based on best practices or project preferences

The total number of work periods required to complete an activity or work breakdown structure component, expressed in hours, days, or weeks. Contrast with effort

A hierarchical structure reflecting a product’s components and deliverables

A risk that would have a negative effect on one or more portfolio, program, or project objectives. See also issue, opportunity, and risk.

A component of the project management plan that identifies the strategies and actions required to promote productive involvement of stakeholders in project or program decision making and execution

A collection of strategic business activities aimed at building, sustaining, and/or advancing an organization.

The members of the project team who are directly involved in project management activities

Progressive elaboration of the content in the backlog and (re)prioritization of it to identify the work that can be accomplished in an upcoming iteration

The centralized management of one or more portfolios to achieve strategic objectives

A regularly scheduled meeting to exchange and analyze information about the current progress of the project and its performance

A group of people with a shared goal who work in different locations and who engage with each other primarily through phone and other electronic communications

The approved version of a scope statement, work breakdown structure (WBS), and its associated WBS dictionary that can be changed using formal change control procedures and is used as the basis for comparison to actual results

A type of contract that is a hybrid contractual arrangement containing aspects of both cost-reimbursable and fixed-price contracts

A regularly occurring workshop in which participants explore their work and results in order to improve both the process and product

A diagram that shows the accepted deliverables over time

A one-page, visual summary that describes the value proposition, infrastructure, customers, and finances. These are often used in Lean Startup situations

A project document that includes quality management issues, recommendations for corrective actions, and a summary of findings from quality control activities and may include recommendations for process, project, and product improvements

A lean enterprise method used to document, analyze, and improve the flow of information or materials required to produce a product or service for a customer

A visual representation that helps trace an undesirable effect back to its root cause

An agreement that sets the fee that will be paid for a defined scope of work regardless of the cost or effort to deliver it

An analysis method to determine which individual project risks or other sources of uncertainty have the most potential impact on project outcomes by correlating variations in project outcomes with variations in elements of a quantitative risk analysis model

A one-page template designed to communicate a business plan with key stakeholders in an efficient and effective manner

A mutually binding agreement that obligates the seller to provide the specified product, service, or result and obligates the buyer to pay for it

An index that measures the willingness of customers to recommend an organization’s products or services to others

A short time interval within a project during which a usable and potentially releasable increment of the product is created. See also iteration

A checklist of all the criteria required to be met so that a deliverable can be considered ready for customer use

The basic principles that should govern the organization’s actions as it implements its system for quality management

A graphic display of process data over time and against established control limits, which has a centerline that assists in detecting a trend of plotted values toward either control limit

A collection of strategic business activities aimed at building, sustaining, and/or advancing an organization

Within the quality management system, precision is an assessment of exactness

The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements

A planning method used to provide products, services, and results that truly reflect customer requirements by translating those customer requirements into the appropriate technical requirements for each phase of project or product development

The process of evaluating scenarios in order to predict their effect on project objectives

A current condition or situation that may have an impact on the project objectives

Those processes required to establish the scope of the project, refine the objectives, and define the course of action required to attain the objectives that the project was undertaken to achieve

The performance domain that addresses activities and functions associated with the development approach, cadence, and life cycle phases of the project

Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization, project, or option

A unit used to estimate the relative level of effort needed to implement a user story

A description of a project or product attribute and how to measure it

An obstacle that prevents the team from achieving its objectives. Also known as a blocker

A quantifiable deviation, departure, or divergence away from a known baseline or expected value

A condition or capability that is necessary to be present in a product, service, or result to satisfy a business need

A measure of schedule performance expressed as the difference between the earned value and the planned value

A document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.

A record of product requirements and other product information, along with whatever is recorded to manage it

An obstacle that prevents the team from achieving its objectives. Also known as an impediment

A meeting to clarify the details of the backlog items, acceptance criteria, and work effort required to meet an upcoming iteration commitment

Those processes performed to complete the work defined in the project management plan to satisfy the project requirements

A bar chart that shows the graphical representation of numerical data

The practice of leading the team by focusing on understanding and addressing the needs and development of team members in order to enable the highest possible team performance

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

A working model used to obtain early feedback on the expected product before actually building it

A display of the critical steps in a process and the time taken in each step used to identify waste

A representation of the plan for executing the project’s activities including durations, dependencies, and other planning information, used to produce a project schedule along with other scheduling artifacts

A risk response strategy whereby the project team allocates ownership of an opportunity to a third party who is best able to capture the benefit of that opportunity

Action taken to bring a defective or nonconforming component into compliance with requirements or specifications.

A diagram that shows the accepted deliverables over time

The process(es) performed to formally complete or close a project, phase, or contract

The series of phases that a project passes through from its start to its completion.

The amount of time whereby a successor activity can be advanced with respect to a predecessor activity

A high-level document that explains an organization’s vision and mission plus the approach that will be adopted to achieve this mission and vision, including the specific goals and objectives to be achieved during the period covered by the document

A project document where information about issues is recorded and monitored

A graphical representation of situations showing causal influences, time ordering of events, and other relationships among variables and outcomes

A graphical representation of the work remaining in a timebox or the work completed toward the release of a product or project deliverable

A set of individuals performing the work of the project to achieve its objectives

A lack of understanding and awareness of issues, events, path to follow, or solutions to pursue

Any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service that is required to be produced to complete a process, phase, or project

A component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how, when, and by whom information about the project will be administered and disseminated

The number of items passing through a process

The document that describes how the project will be executed, monitored and controlled, and closed

A project delivery support structure that focuses on coaching teams; building agile skills and capabilities throughout the organization; and mentoring sponsors and product owners to be more effective in those roles

A project document that includes information about project stakeholders including an assessment and classification of project stakeholders.

The possibility for rapid and unpredictable change

A mixture of experience, values and beliefs, contextual information, intuition, and insight that people use to make sense of new experiences and information

The depiction in a diagram format of the inputs, process actions, and outputs of one or more processes within a system

A type of cost-reimbursable contract where the buyer reimburses the seller for the seller’s allowable costs (allowable costs are defined by the contract), and the seller earns its profit if it meets defined performance criteria

A brief, daily collaboration meeting in which the team reviews progress from the previous day, declares intentions for the current day, and highlights any obstacles encountered or anticipated

The sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines the shortest possible duration

An output of a schedule model that presents linked activities with planned dates, durations, milestones, and resources. Also known as project schedule

A concise, high-level description of the project that states the purpose and inspires the team to contribute to the project

A method used to evaluate identified options in order to select the options or approaches to use to perform the work of the project

The measure of work performed expressed in terms of the budget authorized for that work

A description of a project or product attribute and how to measure it

The performance domain that addresses activities and functions associated with the people who are responsible for producing project deliverables that realize business outcomes

Standards, rules, or tests on which a judgment or decision can be based or by which a product, service, result, or process can be evaluated

A state of being unclear, having difficulty in identifying the cause of events, or having multiple options from which to choose

A document that provides detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about each component in the work breakdown structure

A method used to estimate cost or duration by applying an average or weighted average of optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely estimates when there is uncertainty with the individual activity estimates

An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on one or more project objectives

A project document or repository used to record knowledge gained during a project, phase, or iteration so that it can be used to improve future performance for the team and the organization.

The process of gathering and organizing data about product requirements and analyzing them against available alternatives including the purchase or internal manufacture of the product

The framework, functions, and processes that guide project management activities in order to meet or exceed target project objectives.

A category of contract that involves payments to the seller for all legitimate actual costs incurred for completed work, plus an award fee representing seller profit

A set of charts and graphs showing progress or performance against important measures of the project

The performance domain that addresses activities and functions associated with establishing project processes, managing physical resources, and fostering a learning environment

A term that describes the knowledge within the profession of project management

The assurance that a product, service, or result meets the needs of the customer and other identified stakeholders. See also verification

A narrative description of products, services, or results to be delivered by the project

The degree to which the results meet the set quality requirements

A document describing deliverables that will be tested, tests that will be conducted, and the processes that will be used in testing

All costs incurred over the life of the product by investment in preventing nonconformance to requirements, appraisal of the product or service for conformance to requirements, and failure to meet requirements.

A diagram showing the trend over time of the average lead time of the items completed in work

The degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements

A review at the end of a phase in which a decision is made to continue to the next phase, to continue with modification, or to end a project or program

A visual representation of the progress of the planned work that allows everyone to see the status of the tasks

A factor in the planning process that is considered to be true, real, or certain, without proof or demonstration

The expected cost to finish all the remaining project work

A provision in the project management 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 total elapsed time from the start of a particular activity or work item to its completion

A term used to describe a mindset of values and principles as set forth in the Agile Manifesto

A graphical representation of the logical relationships among the project schedule activities

A framework for considering the full cost of doing business by evaluating a company’s bottom line from the perspective of profit, people, and the planet

A document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities

A sequence of activities connected by logical relationships in a project schedule network diagram

The uncontrolled expansion to product or project scope without adjustments to time, cost, and resources

A grid that shows the project resources assigned to each work package.

A chart indicating features completed over time, features in other states of development, and those in the backlog

An amount of the project budget or project schedule held outside of the performance measurement baseline for management control purposes that is reserved for unforeseen work that is within the project scope

A set of procedures that describes how modifications to the project deliverables and documentation are managed and controlled. See also change control and change control board (CCB).

A precise statement of the needs to be satisfied and the essential characteristics that are required

A limiting factor that affects the execution of a project, program, portfolio, or process

The practice of delivering feature increments immediately to customers, often through the use of small batches of work and automation technology

Methods used to collect, assess, and evaluate data and information to gain a deeper understanding of a situation

A method used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts

A person who helps the project team to achieve the project objectives, typically by orchestrating the work of the project

The series of phases that a project passes through from its start to its completion. Also known as Project Life Cycle.

A high-level overview of the goals, deliverables, and processes for the project

The sum of the products, services, and results to be provided as a project. See also project scope and product scope

An ordered list of work to be done

The approved version of formal scope documents that can be changed using formal change control procedures and is used as the basis for comparison to actual results. See also baseline, cost baseline, performance measurement baseline, and schedule baseline.

The features and functions that characterize a product, service, or result

A document established by an authority, custom, or general consent as a model or example

A comprehensive, cyclic, and structured approach for transitioning individuals, groups, and organizations from a current state to a future state with intended business benefits

The description of the project scope, major deliverables, and exclusions

An estimate or prediction of conditions and events in the project’s future based on information and knowledge available at the time of the forecast.

An adaptive development approach in which the deliverable is produced successively, adding functionality until the deliverable contains the necessary and sufficient capability to be considered complete.

A significant point or event in a portfolio, program, or project.

A measure of the cost efficiency of budgeted resources expressed as the ratio of earned value to actual cost

A comprehensive list of changes submitted during the project and their current status

The performance domain that addresses activities and functions associated with delivering the scope and quality that the project was undertaken to achieve

An output from performing project management processes and activities. See also deliverable

A formal record or summary of information

The deliberate adaptation of approach, governance, and processes to make them more suitable for the given environment and the work at hand

A combination of two or more agile and nonagile elements, having a nonagile end result

The performance domain that addresses activities and functions associated with risk and uncertainty

A method used to evaluate the amount of risk on the project and the amount of schedule and budget reserve to determine whether the reserve is sufficient for the remaining risk

Integrated scope, schedule, and cost baselines used for comparison to manage, measure, and control project execution

The sum of all budgets established for the work to be performed

A backlog that includes product work and actions to address threats and opportunities

A method used to shorten the schedule duration without reducing the project scope

The amount of budget deficit or surplus at a given point in time, expressed as the difference between the earned value and the actual cost

A method used to estimate the minimum project duration and determine the amount of schedule flexibility on the logical network paths within the schedule model

The time between a customer request and the actual delivery

A hierarchical representation of the project organization, which illustrates the relationship between project activities and the organizational units that will perform those activities

The plan that sets expectations for the dates, features, and/or outcomes expected to be delivered over the course of multiple iterations

The degree of uncertainty an organization or individual is willing to accept in anticipation of a reward

A measure of schedule efficiency expressed as the ratio of earned value to planned value

A one-page template designed to communicate a business plan with key stakeholders in an efficient and effective manner

A document established by an authority, custom, or general consent as a model or example.

Skills used to establish and maintain relationships with other people

The application of knowledge, skills, and principles to a program to achieve the program objectives and obtain benefits and control not available by managing program components individually

The integration of people, data, processes, and business systems to create, maintain, and evolve a product or service throughout its life cycle

A person responsible for maximizing the value of the product and accountable for the end product

A concept used to define the scope of the first release of a solution to customers by identifying the fewest number of features or requirements that would deliver value

A report on the current status of the project

The iterative process of increasing the level of detail in a project management plan as greater amounts of information and more accurate estimates become available

An artifact that is produced, is quantifiable, and can be either an end item in itself or a component item

A method in which multiple team members focus collectively on resolving a specific problem or task

A method used to develop a range of estimates along with the associated probabilities within that range

Plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases that are specific to and used by the performing organization

A grid that shows the project resources assigned to each work package

The performance domain that addresses activities and functions associated with stakeholders

A component of the project or program management plan that describes how the scope will be defined, developed, monitored, controlled, and validated

The documented explanation defining the processes for creating, maximizing, and sustaining the benefits provided by a project or program

A formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes to the project, and for recording and communicating such decisions

A component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how risk management activities will be structured and performed

A characteristic of a program or project or its environment that is difficult to manage due to human behavior, system behavior, and ambiguity

A document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. Also known as a project charter

A chart that begins with high-level information that is progressively decomposed into lower levels of detail

A system of practices, techniques, procedures, and rules used by those who work in a discipline

A template, document, output, or project deliverable

A defined function to be performed by a project team member, such as testing, filing, inspecting, or coding

A component of the project management plan that describes how project resources are acquired, allocated, monitored, and controlled. See also project management plan.

A tool used to evaluate the total environmental impact of a product, process, or system

A contract that provides for an indefinite quantity of goods or services, with a stated lower and upper limit, within a fixed time period

Time or money allocated in the schedule or cost baseline for known risks with active response strategies

A relationship between two or more project activities

An iterative planning technique in which the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail, while the work in the future is planned at a higher level. See also progressive elaboration.

A risk that would have a positive effect on one or more project objectives

Related projects, subsidiary programs, and program activities that are managed in a coordinated manner to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually

A modification to any formally controlled deliverable, project management plan component, or project document

A set of related requirements or functionalities that provides value to an organization

Methods used to develop an approximation of work, time, or cost on a project

A visualization chart for tracking moods or reactions to identify areas for improvement

A predetermined value of a measurable project variable that represents a limit that requires action to be taken if it is reached

A chart that tracks the rate at which the deliverables are produced, validated, and accepted within a predefined interval

Activities that consume resources and/or time without adding value

A technique for determining the cause and degree of difference between the baseline and actual performance. See also cost variance (CV), schedule variance (SV), and variance at completion (VAC).

A product or service that is delivered, used, and stored in an electronic format

Estimates or predictions of conditions and events in the project’s future based on information and knowledge available at the time the schedule is calculated

The integration of people, data, processes, and business systems to create, maintain, and evolve a product or service throughout its life cycle.

Documents created prior to or at the start of the project that address strategic, business, or high-level information about the project

An assignment that can be delegated within a project management plan such that the assigned resource incurs a duty to perform the requirements of the assignment

A component of a project or program management plan that describes how costs will be planned, structured, and controlled

All documents used to solicit information, quotations, or proposals from prospective sellers

A project document used to record knowledge gained during a project, phase, or iteration so that it can be used to improve future performance for the team and the organization

A scatter diagram that plots effort against value so as to classify items by priority

An iterative planning method in which the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail, while the work in the future is planned at a higher level

A cross-functional team in which people assume leadership as needed to achieve the team’s objectives

A project document that summarizes information on individual project risks and the level of overall project risk

A financial analysis method used to determine the benefits provided by a project against its costs

A bar chart of schedule information where activities are listed on the vertical axis, dates are shown on the horizontal axis, and activity durations are shown as horizontal bars placed according to start and finish dates

An analytical method used to determine the basic underlying reason that causes a variance or a defect or a risk

The meetings with prospective sellers prior to the preparation of a bid or proposal to ensure all prospective vendors have a clear and common understanding of the procurement. Also known as contractor conferences, vendor conferences, or pre-bid conferences

The approved estimate for the project or any work breakdown structure (WBS) component or any schedule activity

A collection of practices for creating a smooth flow of deliveries by improving collaboration between development and operations staff

A rhythm of activities conducted throughout the project

The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an activity during a specific time period. See also budget at completion (BAC), earned value (EV), estimate at completion (EAC), estimate to complete (ETC), and planned value (PV).

A component of the project or program management plan that establishes the criteria and the activities for developing, monitoring, and controlling the schedule

A projection of the amount of budget deficit or surplus, expressed as the difference between the budget at completion and the estimate at completion

The work performed to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified features and functions

A document used to record and describe or denote selected items identified during execution of a process or activity. Usually used with a modifier, such as issue, change, or assumption

A risk response strategy whereby the project team acts to eliminate the threat or protect the project from its impact

A component of the project management plan that describes how project resources are acquired, allocated, monitored, and controlled

The amount of time whereby a successor activity will be delayed with respect to a predecessor activity

Collect project performance data, produce performance measures, and report and disseminate performance information

A repository in which outputs of risk management processes are recorded

A development approach in which the requirements are subject to a high level of uncertainty and volatility and are likely to change throughout the project

A project document used to record all assumptions and constraints throughout the project.

Action taken to bring a defective or nonconforming component into compliance with requirements or specifications

A process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines associated with the project are identified, documented, approved, or rejected

The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives. See also portfolio manager and program manager.

A formal proposal to modify a document, deliverable, or baseline

The authorized budget assigned to scheduled work

A type of cost-reimbursable contract where the buyer reimburses the seller for the seller’s allowable costs (allowable costs are defined by the contract) plus a fixed amount of profit (fee)

Measures that characterize physical or functional attributes relating to system operation

Means of receiving information without direct communication by overhearing and through nonverbal cues

A visible, physical display that provides information to the rest of the organization, enabling timely knowledge sharing

A management structure that standardizes the project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques

Requirements imposed by a governmental body. These requirements can establish product, process, or service characteristics, including applicable administrative provisions that have government-mandated compliance

The number of labor units required to complete a schedule activity or work breakdown structure component, often expressed in hours, days, or weeks. Contrast with duration

A summarized, high-level description about the expectations for a product such as target market, users, major benefits, and what differentiates the product from others in the market

The net quantifiable benefit derived from a business endeavor that may be tangible, intangible, or both

Within the quality management system, precision is an assessment of exactness.

A regularly occurring workshop in which participants explore their work and results in order to improve both the process and product.

The approved version of the time-phased project budget, excluding any management reserves, which can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to actual results

A brief description of an outcome for a specific user, which is a promise for a conversation to clarify details

Conditions, not under the immediate control of the team, that influence, constrain, or direct the project, program, or portfolio

A method for creating estimates that are derived from performing a comparison against a similar body of work, taking effort, complexity, and uncertainty into consideration

The process of comparing actual performance with planned performance, analyzing variances, assessing trends to effect process improvements, evaluating possible alternatives, and recommending appropriate corrective action as needed

A proposed means of accomplishing something

The framework, functions, and processes that guide project management activities in order to create a unique product, service, or result to meet organizational, strategic, and operational goals

A means for achieving an outcome, output, result, or project deliverable

The right to apply project resources, expend funds, make decisions, or give approvals

The approved version of a schedule model that can be changed using formal change control procedures and is used as the basis for comparison to actual results

A component of the project or program management plan that describes how a project team will acquire goods and services from outside of the performing organization

A schedule compression technique in which activities or phases normally done in sequence are performed in parallel for at least a portion of their duration. See also crashing and schedule compression.

The amount of budget deficit or surplus at a given point in time, expressed as the difference between the earned value and the actual cost. See also schedule variance (SV).

A risk that would have a negative effect on one or more project objectives

An event or occurrence that could affect the execution of the project, which may be accounted for with a reserve

A component of the program or project management plan that identifies the strategies and actions required to promote productive involvement of stakeholders in program or project decision-making and execution. See also project management plan.

A development approach in which the project scope, time, and cost are determined in the early phases of the life cycle

An aggregate measure of the potential impact of all risks at any given point in time in a project, program, or portfolio

A partially complete document in a predefined format that provides a defined structure for collecting, organizing, and presenting information and data

The concept of deferring a decision to allow the team to consider multiple options until the cost of further delay would exceed the benefit

A measure that appears to show some result but does not provide useful information for making decisions

A visualization tool that shows work in progress to help identify bottlenecks and overcommitments, thereby allowing the team to optimize the workflow.

A matrix that compares current and desired stakeholder engagement levels

A set of conditions that is required to be met before deliverables are accepted

A defined function to be performed by a project team member, such as testing, filing, inspecting, or coding.

A strategic planning method that serves as a visual roadmap for the organization during product development

A calendar that identifies working days and shifts that are available for scheduled activities

The approved version of a work product, used as a basis for comparison to actual results

One or more components of one or more products, which are intended to be put into production at the same time

Knowledge that can be codified using symbols such as words, numbers, and pictures

A type of schedule that presents milestones with planned dates

The value of a product or service that an organization communicates to its customers

A method for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project

The process of identifying a high-level plan for releasing or transitioning a product, deliverable, or increment of value

The ability to identify, assess, and manage the personal emotions of oneself and other people, as well as the collective emotions of groups of people