OE PROJECT MANAGEMENT GLOSSARY ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA : thse criteria, including perfrmance requirements and essential cnditins that must be met befre the prject deliverables are accepted. ACTIVITY: an actin necessary t achieve a prject task and is the smallest unit f prject wrk. ASSUMPTIONS: factrs that, fr prject planning purpses, are cnsidered t be true and d nt require prf. BUDGET: the apprved funding estimate fr cmpleting the full scpe f prject wrk described in the wrk breakdwn structure. BUSINESS CASE: a written dcument that describes the reasns fr initiating a prject; it als describes the resurces, such as mney, staff time, and equipment, that are required t achieve the specific business gals. CHANGE CONTROL: the prcess f identifying, dcumenting, apprving r rejecting changes t the prject plan. CHANGE MANAGEMENT: is a structured apprach t shifting/transitining individuals, teams, and rganizatins frm a current state t a desired future state. It is an rganizatinal prcess aimed at empwering emplyees t accept and embrace changes in their current business envirnment. CHANGE MANAGER: plays a key rle in helping prjects meet business, schedule and budget bjectives. The Change Manager rle fcuses n the peple side f change including changes t business prcesses, systems and technlgy, jb rles and rganizatin structures. The primary fcus will be creating and implementing change management plans that minimize emplyee resistance and maximize emplyee engagement. The Change Manager will wrk t drive faster adptin, greater ultimate utilizatin and higher prficiency n the changes impacting emplyees in the rganizatin such that business results are achieved. COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT PLAN: a dcument that describes the cmmunicatins needs fr a prject. It describes: hw, when, and in what frm prject infrmatin will be distributed wh will receive the infrmatin and the kinds they will receive. wh is respnsible fr preparing the infrmatin CONSTRAINT: a restrictin which is either internal r external t the prject that will restrict the perfrmance f the prject. Fr example, a fixed amunt f mney alltted fr a prject budget is a cst cnstraint, and a set date by which a prject must be cmpleted is a time cnstraint. 1 1
CRITICAL PATH: the chain f linked dependent prject tasks in a prject netwrk diagram that has the lngest required cmpletin time. The end date f a prject is dictated by the tasks that make up this critical chain f tasks. Any change t the time required t cmplete a task n the critical chain will impact the verall cmpletin date f the prject. DECOMPOSITION: a planning methd that divides the prject scpe and deliverables int smaller, mre manageable parts, until the wrk assciated with each part is defined in adequate detail s that members f the prject team can execute, mnitr, and cntrl all f the tasks required t fulfill the prject scpe. DELIVERABLE: any measurable, tangible, verifiable utcme, result, r item that must be prduced t cmplete a prject milestne. DURATION: the perid f time ver which a task is cmpleted. The duratin f a task may be dependent n r independent f the resurces assigned t perfrm the task. If a task has a fixed duratin, its duratin is nt affected by the amunt f resurces assigned t the task. FLOAT (SLACK): the amunt f time that a task in a prject netwrk diagram can be delayed withut causing a delay t: subsequent tasks (free flat) prject cmpletin date (ttal flat) An activity that has a ttal flat equal t zer is said t be a "critical activity", which means that a delay in the finish time f this activity will cause the entire prject t be delayed by the same amunt f time. FOCUS GROUP: a frm f qualitative research in which a grup f peple are asked abut such things as the business issues r functinality f a specific service r prduct. FUNCTIONAL OWNER: is respnsible fr the management f the design f the prject deliverable (utcme) with respect t business wrkflws, design f assciated system cmpnents, design f apprpriate system cntent, and the effective delivery and deplyment f the full slutin t end users. GANTT CHART: a ppular type f bar diagram that illustrates a prject schedule. Gantt charts illustrate the start and finish dates f the terminal elements and summary elements f a prject. The tasks and milestnes in the Gantt chart are taken frm the wrk breakdwn structure f the prject. Sme Gantt charts als shw the dependency relatinships between activities and can be used t shw the current schedule status f a prject. 2 2
LAG: the amunt f time after ne task is started r finished befre the next task can be started r finished. Lessns Learned: the learning gained frm the prcess f perfrming a prject. Lessns may be learned during any phase f the prject and shuld be dcumented s ther prject teams can benefit frm the knwledge gained. MILESTONE: a scheduled event signifying the cmpletin f a majr deliverable r a set f related deliverables. Typically, the prject will be divided int five t ten majr milestnes. Each milestne has a deliverable and a cmpletin date assciated with it, and has acceptance criteria in the descriptin f a deliverable. PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT: the centralized management f ne r mre prject prtflis, including the identificatin, priritizatin, authrizatin, management and cntrl f the prjects, t achieve specified rganizatinal gals. PROGRAM: a grup f related prjects managed in a crdinated manner t btain the benefits that culd nt be achieved by managing them separately. PROGRESSIVE ELABORATION: the prcess f cntinuusly imprving and refining a prject plan as mre infrmatin becmes available t the prject team. This iterative prcess allws the prject team t create better estimates and mre cmplete plans as the prject prceeds. PROJECT: a temprary and ne-time undertaking that has the fllwing five characteristics: is a ne-time event creates unique prducts r services has time and cst cnstraints is cmpleted against certain specificatins (requirements) has a defined start and end date cnsumes resurces (e.g., mney, peple, material, and equipment) PROJECT ACCEPTANCE REPORT: a dcument that is used t cnfirm that the deliverables f the prject, as stated in the prject charter, meet the specified acceptance criteria described in the charter. The fficial custmer fr the prject evaluates and signs ff n each deliverable. 3 3
PROJECT CHARTER: a statement f the scpe, bjectives, and participants in a prject. It prvides: a descriptin f the prject bjectives a list f prject assumptins a descriptin f prject scpe a list f prject milestnes a list f key prject stakehlders a descriptin f the rles and the respnsibilities f the prject team members and ther key stakehlders a descriptin f prject funding and ther resurces a list f high-level prject risks authrity f the prject manager apprval f the charter by the prject's spnsr The charter is signed by the spnsr t authrize the prject t cmmence and use the specified resurces. PROJECT MANAGEMENT: the discipline f rganizing and managing resurces (e.g., peple, mney, materials, and equipment) in such a way that the prject meets: the defined prject scpe the time and cst cnstraints the functinal requirement and technical specificatins the custmers' expectatins the required quality set frth in the prject scpe PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE (PMO): a department that an rganizatin can establish t define and maintain the standard practices that it uses fr prject management. By intrducing standardized and repeatable practices, the PMO seeks t imprve the success f an rganizatin's prjects. A PMO is als the surce f dcumentatin, guidance, and metrics n the practice f prject management. It may als be respnsible fr centrally managing prjects under its supervisin and helping an rganizatin's leadership t evaluate prpsed strategic prjects. PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL (PMP): a certificatin in prject management ffered by the Prject Management Institute. 4 4
PROJECT MANAGER: a temprary psitin held by the persn respnsible fr the verall prject management prcess and ultimately, fr the success f the prject. The prject manager has the fllwing respnsibilities: PROCESS RESPONSIBILITIES Identifies, tracks, manages and reslves prject issues. Practively disseminates prject infrmatin t all stakehlders. Identifies, manages, and mitigates prject risk. Ensures that the slutin is f acceptable quality. Practively manages scpe t ensure that nly what was agreed t is delivered, unless changes are apprved thrugh scpe management. Defines and cllects metrics t measure the prject's prgress. Manages the verall schedule t ensure wrk is assigned and cmpleted n time and within budget. PEOPLES RESPONSIBILITIES Serves as the prject team leader. Prject leadership is abut cmmunicating the visin f the prject and getting the team t accept it and strive t achieve it. Ensures the prject team members fllw the standard prcesses and prcedures. Sets reasnable, challenging, and clear expectatins fr team members, and hlds them accuntable fr meeting the expectatins. This includes prviding gd perfrmance feedback t team members. Emplys team-building skills s that the peple wrk tgether well, and feel mtivated t wrk hard fr the sake f the prject and their team members. Uses practive verbal and written cmmunicatin skills, including gd, active listening skills. PROJECT METHODOLOGY: a set f specified practices, techniques, and rules used in prject management. The mst cmmn prject methdlgy used in the United States is the ne created by the Prject Management Institute. This methdlgy is cmpsed f five phases: 1. INITIATION invlves the analysis f a prpsed prject, definitin f the preliminary prject scpe, creatin f the prject charter, and apprval f the prject charter by the spnsr. 5 5
2. PLANNING invlves the creatin f the prject management plan including: a mature wrk breakdwn structure a prject netwrk diagram a prject wrk schedule a risk management plan a prject cmmunicatins plan 3. EXECUTION invlves the prject team perfrming the wrk f the prject as specified in the prject plans. 4. MONITOR AND CONTROL invlves measuring the prgress f the wrk cnducted during the executin phase f a prject t ensure the prject team is meeting perfrmance bjectives and taking crrective actins as needed t achieve the prject bjectives. 5. CLOSURE invlves all the prcesses required t terminate prject activities and transfer the prducts and services created by the prject t peratins. Als includes dcumenting the lessns learned frm the prject and archiving the prject dcumentatin. Fr sme prjects, these phases are cnducted as separate sub-prjects. Fr example, the five phases may be divided t three separate sub-prjects cnducted in the fllwing sequence: 1. Initiatin 2. Planning 3. Executin, Mnitr and Cntrl, and Clsure At the end f the each sub-prject, apprpriate rganizatinal leaders will decide if the prject team shuld carry ut the next prpsed sub-prject. PROJECT METRICS: a way t measure if a prject is being develped n time and n budget by tracking the prgress f prject milestnes. PROJECT MILESTONE: a scheduled event signifying the cmpletin f a majr deliverable r a set f related deliverables fr a prject. PROJECT NETWORK DIAGRAM: a schematic depicting the sequence in which a prject's tasks are t be cmpleted and the interdependencies amng the prject tasks. 6 6
PROJECT OBJECTIVE: describes the business bjective that the prject seeks t address; explains hw the prject will add value t the rganizatin and what strategic pririties are being addressed. PROJECT PHASE: a set f lgically related prject activities t accmplish the cmpletin f a majr prject deliverable. Phases are usually cmpleted sequentially but will smetimes verlap. PROJECT PORTFOLIO: a cllectin f prjects that are gruped tgether t achieve the strategic business bjectives f an rganizatin. PROJECT REQUIREMENT: a functin r cnditin that must be met by a prduct, system, r service as specified in the prject plans and cntracts. PROJECT SCOPE: defines the bundaries f the prject. The scpe describes what will be delivered where, when, and hw. It describes the services, functins, systems, slutins, r tangible prducts fr which the spnsr will take delivery. The scpe shuld include: the majr bjectives that the prject is expected t accmplish the key time, financial, technical, and legal cnstraints the significant assumptins PROJECT STATUS REPORT: cmmunicates the status f a prject. This reprt is a tl fr prject managers t: infrm stakehlders abut the prgress f the prject raise issues request assistance as needed Prject status reprts are usually prepared and distributed n a weekly r bi-weekly basis. PROJECT TEAM: a grup f peple wrking tgether n a cmmn gal, the accmplishment f a successful prject. Typically, a prject team cnsists f a prject manager and ne r mre subject matter experts divided int three t twelve cre and extended team members. Cre Team Member: typically wns ne r mre prject deliverables and is dedicated t the prject full time. Extended Team Member: prvides part-time supprt fr specific prject tasks. 7 7
RADIO LIST: a dcument that is used during a prject meeting t capture issues that cannt be reslved during the meeting but shuld be remembered and addressed by the prject team. The term RADIO is an acrnym fr the five categries used t classify the issues: Risks Assumptins Definitins Issues Opprtunities RAPID ANALYSIS: is an rganizatinal design tl used t cdify individuals rles in making decisins t imprve decisinmaking prcesses, increase verall decisin effectiveness, and eliminate unnecessary csts. RESERVE: a prtin f the prject budget reserved by the prject manager and spnsr t mitigate prject risks. RISK: an uncertain event r cnditin that, if it ccurs, has a negative effect n a prject's bjectives. The prject team devises plans t identify and mitigate risks based upn the prbability and impact f the events. RISK ASSESSMENT: the determinatin f quantitative r qualitative value f risk related t a specified situatin and an identified threat t the prject. Risk assessment is a cmmn first step in a risk management prcess. RISK MANAGEMENT: a structured apprach t managing prject uncertainty thrugh a sequence f activities including risk identificatin and assessment. Prject team members develp strategies t manage and mitigate risks based upn the prbability f the risk ccurring and the impact t the prject if the risk event ccurs. These risk management strategies include: transferring the risk t anther party aviding the risk reducing the negative effect f the risk. accepting sme r all f the cnsequences f a particular risk RISK REGISTER (RISK LOG): a tl cmmnly used in prject planning that cntains infrmatin n all f the prject risks identified by the prject team including: 8 8
a descriptin f the risks a summary f the analysis f the risk including the prbability f the risk ccurring and the impact t the prject if it ccurs plans t respnd t the risk SPONSOR: the persn wh has ultimate authrity ver the prject. The spnsr prvides prject funding, reslves issues and scpe changes, apprves majr deliverables, and prvides high-level directin. The spnsr psitin ends when the prject is cmplete. As a practical matter, the prject spnsr needs the prject deliverables, and typically prvides the funding t get the jb dne. Fr internally driven prjects, the spnsr may nt pay fr the prject but is recgnized as the wner f the prject alng with the utilized resurces. The prject manager lks t the prject spnsr t prvide the required help t acquire needed resurces and t help navigate the prject plitics, especially the blending f stakehlder requirements. STAKEHOLDER: any persn r grup that is affected by the executin and success r failure f a prject. This includes team members, resurce wners, end users, and peratinal wners f the prject utcmes. A prject's spnsr is the mst imprtant stakehlder. STEERING COMMITTEE: represents the critical stakehlder grups in the verall gvernance f a prject, prgram, r functinal area: review and advise the prject charter fr quality, accuracy and strength f business case; review prgress against the prject plan; review and recmmend changes t the business case; review and recmmend majr changes t prject resurcing, timelines, scpe, bjectives, csts, etc.; participate in the identificatin f prject risks and mitigatin plans; identify the impact n campus systems and prcesses; reslve escalated prject issues; reslve cnflicts between stakehlder grups; reslve issues that crss departmental bundaries; cultivate crss departmental cllabratin; prvide supprt and guidance fr sensitive plitical issues; raise plicy issues fr cnsideratin and reslutin; and review prject status and the achievement f prject milestnes. SUCCESS MEASUREMENT: a metric that helps the prject team determine if prject deliverables will meet the expectatins f the stakehlders. These metrics can als be used t gauge the status f the scpe, cst, and delivery date. A prperly designed set f success measurements can prvide the team with early ntice f emerging prblems s actin can be taken t mitigate them. TASK: an actin necessary t achieve a prject milestne. The wrk invlved t achieve a task is further brken ut int activities. TASK DEPENDANCY: refers t whether a task can be perfrmed in islatin r must wait t be perfrmed after anther task is finished r started. Fr example, befre yu can pur a glass f water, yu need a glass and water surce. 9 9
TRIPLE CONSTRAINTS: a cmmn mdel fr lking at the relative pririty and interdependence f a prject's cnstraints f time, cst, and scpe. The spnsr defines the pririty f each f these cnstraints in a prject. WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURES (WBS): a prject management tl used t divide the ttal prject scpe int manageable pieces f wrk. It is typically presented as an utline r a tree diagram. The higher levels f a WBS describe deliverables and planned utcmes, and the lwest level f the WBS describe the tasks required t cmplete the deliverables and utcmes. The wrk breakdwn structure is used t create the wrk schedule. WORK PLAN (SCHEDULE): a prject dcument that describes the milestnes, tasks, activities, deliverables, and related infrmatin that are significant t the prject. These key elements f a prject wrk schedule must be cmpleted n-time and nbudget fr a prject t be successful and therefre require mnitring by the prject manager and stakehlders. The status f the prject wrk schedule is reprted in the prject status reprt. 10