Comprehensive Guide to Project Management Terminologies

Definitions

5 Whys

• Description: A problem-solving technique used to get to the root cause of a problem by repeatedly asking the question “Why?” five times.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Lean Six Sigma

5S (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain)

• Description: A system for organizing spaces so work can be performed efficiently, effectively, and safely.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Lean Six Sigma

Acceptance Criteria

• Description: The conditions that a product must satisfy to be accepted by a user, customer, or other stakeholder.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

Action Items

• Description: Tasks that must be carried out or actions that must be taken towards completing a project.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Agile

• Description: A set of principles for software development under which requirements and solutions evolve through the collaborative effort of self-organizing cross-functional teams.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Agile

Agile Manifesto

• Description: A formal proclamation of four key values and twelve principles to guide an iterative and people-centric approach to software development.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Agile

Agile Project Management

• Description: An iterative approach to planning and guiding project processes. In Agile, projects are divided into small sub-projects called iterations or sprints, which are reviewed and evaluated regularly.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Agile

Agile Release Train (ART)

• Description: A long-lived team of Agile teams, which, along with other stakeholders, incrementally develop, deliver, and where applicable operate, one or more solutions in a value stream.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)

Analogous Estimating

• Description: A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Andon Cord

• Description: A tool used to alert when a problem has occurred and to stop production until the problem has been solved.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Lean Manufacturing

Approval Process

• Description: Steps to follow to approve project-related work.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Assumption

• Description: A factor in the planning process that is considered to be true, real, or certain, without proof or demonstration.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Assumptions

• Description: Factors considered to be true in the planning phase.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Assumptions Log

• Description: A project document used to record all assumptions and constraints throughout the project life cycle.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Backlog

• Description: A list of new features, changes to existing features, bug fixes, infrastructure changes or other activities that a team may deliver in order to achieve a specific outcome.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Agile

Backlog Grooming

• Description: The process in agile where the product backlog items are reviewed and the priorities are adjusted to meet the product goals.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

Balanced Scorecard

• Description: A performance metric used in strategic management to identify and improve various internal functions of a business and their resulting external outcomes.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Baseline

• Description: The approved version of a work product that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to actual results.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Baseline Schedule

• Description: The approved version of a schedule model that can be changed using formal change control procedures.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Baselines

• Description: An approved version of a work product that can be changed only through formal change control procedures.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Belbin’s Team Roles

• Description: A model that identifies nine group roles that underlie team success.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Benchmarking

• Description: Comparing one’s business processes and performance metrics to industry bests and best practices from other companies.
• Phase: PMBOK, Agile
• Methodology: Any

Bidder Conference

• Description: A meeting between the buyer and all prospective sellers prior to submission of a bid or proposal.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Bottom-Up Estimating

• Description: A method of estimating a component of work, where the work is decomposed into more detailed components.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Break-Even Point

• Description: The point at which total cost and total revenue are equal.
• Phase: Initiation
• Methodology: Any

Budget

• Description: The planned amount of money that is allocated for the project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Burn Down Chart

• Description: A graphical representation of work left to do versus time in Agile project management methodologies.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Burndown Chart

• Description: A visual representation of the amount of work that still needs to be completed before the end of a project.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Burnup Chart

• Description: A visual management tool that shows the progress of a project in terms of work done over time.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Agile

Business Case

• Description: A justification for a proposed project or undertaking on the basis of its expected commercial benefit.
• Phase: Initiating
• Methodology: Any

Business Process Modeling (BPM)

• Description: The activity of representing processes of an enterprise, so that the current process may be analyzed, improved, and automated.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Business Process Reengineering (BPR)

• Description: The practice of rethinking and redesigning the way work is done to better support an organization’s mission and reduce costs.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Business Value

• Description: The value that an organization gains from actions or investments.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Agile

Capacity Planning

• Description: The process of determining the production capacity needed by an organization to meet changing demands for its products or services.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

Change Control

• Description: The process through which all requests to change the approved baseline of a project, program, or portfolio are captured, evaluated, approved, rejected, or deferred.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Change Control Board (CCB)

• Description: A formally constituted group of stakeholders responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes to the project, with all decisions and recommendations being recorded.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Change Management

• Description: A systematic approach to dealing with change both from the perspective of an organization and the individual.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Change Request

• Description: A document containing a call for an adjustment of a system.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Change Requests

• Description: A formal proposal to alter a product or system.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Charter

• Description: A document issued by the project sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
• Phase: Initiation
• Methodology: Any

Checklist

• Description: A type of job aid used to reduce failure by compensating for potential limits of human memory and attention.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Closing Process Group

• Description: Those processes performed to finalize all activities across all Process Groups to formally complete the project, phase, or contractual obligations.
• Phase: Closure
• Methodology: Any

Communication Barriers

• Description: Factors that prevent effective communication or the transfer of information from a sender to a receiver.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Communication Channels

• Description: The medium through which the message is sent to the receiver.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Communication Matrix

• Description: A table used to visually depict the key stakeholders, the information they need and when they need it.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Communication Methods (Interactive, Push, Pull)

• Description: Interactive communication involves real-time dialogue (meetings), push communication is one-way in nature (emails), and pull communication requires recipients to access content (websites).
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Communication Models (Sender-Receiver Model)

• Description: Conceptual models used to explain the human communication process, involving a sender, message, medium, noise, and receiver.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Communication Plan

• Description: A policy-driven approach to providing stakeholders with information.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Communication Technology

• Description: Tools that teams use to communicate with each other, including email, video conferencing, messaging apps, and project management software.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Conflict Resolution

• Description: The process of resolving a dispute or a conflict by providing each side’s needs, and adequately addressing their interests.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Constraint

• Description: A limiting factor that affects the execution of a project, program, portfolio, or process.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Constraints

• Description: Limitations or restrictions that the project will have to work within.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Constraints Log

• Description: A project document that contains a list of project constraints, descriptions, impacts if the constraint occurs, and plans for managing the constraints.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Contingency Plan

• Description: A plan devised for an outcome other than in the usual (expected) plan.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Contingency Reserve

• Description: A sum of money set aside to cover possible unforeseen future expenses.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Contract

• Description: An agreement with specific terms between two or more persons or entities in which there is a promise to do something in return for a valuable benefit.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Contract Management

• Description: Management of contracts made with customers, vendors, partners, or employees.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Control Account (CA)

• Description: A management control point where the integration of scope, budget, and schedule takes place and where the measurement of project performance occurs.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Control Chart

• Description: A statistical tool used to distinguish between variation in a process resulting from common causes and variation resulting from special causes.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Six Sigma

Control Limits (Upper Control Limit, Lower Control Limit)

• Description: The area composed of three standard deviations from the mean in a normal distribution on a control chart.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Six Sigma

Control Scope

• Description: The process ofmonitoring the status of the project and product scope and managing changes to the scope baseline.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Corrective Action

• Description: An intentional activity that realigns the performance of the project work with the project management plan.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS)

• Description: A hierarchically organized depiction of the estimated costs of the components of the project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Cost Estimation

• Description: The approximation of the cost of a program, project, or operation.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Cost Management

• Description: The process of planning and controlling the budget of a business.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Cost of Delay

• Description: The impact to the project, product, or organization due to time delays in delivery.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Lean

Cost of Quality (COQ)

• Description: The costs associated with preventing, finding, and correcting defective work.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Cost Performance Index (CPI)

• Description: The measure of the cost efficiency of budgeted resources, expressed as a ratio of earned value to actual cost.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Cost Reimbursable Contract

• Description: A type of contract where the company agrees to pay a contractor for the actual cost of the work, plus a fee to cover overhead and profit.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Cost Variance (CV)

• Description: In budgeting, it is the difference between what you planned to spend and what you actually spent.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Cost-Benefit Analysis

• Description: A systematic approach to estimating the strengths and weaknesses of alternatives that satisfy transactions, activities, or functional requirements for a business.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Crashing

• Description: A technique used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)

• Description: A method of planning and managing projects that emphasizes the resources required to execute project tasks.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: CCPM

Critical Path

• Description: The sequence of project activities which add up to the longest overall duration.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Waterfall

Critical Path Analysis (CPA)

• Description: A project management technique that helps to plan, manage and execute complex projects.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Waterfall

Critical Path Method (CPM)

• Description: A technique used to determine the amount of scheduling flexibility (also known as “float” or “slack”) on various logical network paths in the project schedule network, and determining the minimum total project duration.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Critical Success Factors (CSFs)

• Description: The elements that are necessary for a project or organization to achieve its mission.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Daily Scrum

• Description: A stand-up meeting, or a very short (15 minutes or less) meeting for the team to share updates and discuss challenges.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Daily Stand-up

• Description: Also known as a daily scrum, a short organizational meeting that is held each day to provide a status update to the team members.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Data Analysis Techniques

• Description: A process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data to discover useful information, inform conclusions, and support decision-making.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Decision Gate

• Description: A point in time in the project lifecycle at which an assessment is conducted to determine if the project can continue to the next phase.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Waterfall

Decision Log

• Description: A document that records and tracks significant decisions in the life of a project including the criteria used for making the decision.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Decision Making Techniques

• Description: These are tools and techniques used to choose among proposed alternatives in decision-making.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Decision Matrix

• Description: A tool used to compare choices for viability and to make decisions.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Decision Tree

• Description: A decision support tool that uses a tree-like model of decisions and their possible consequences.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Decision Tree Analysis

• Description: A diagrammatic technique that helps in decision making under uncertainty.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Decision-Making Process

• Description: The cognitive process resulting in the selection of a belief or a course of action among several possible alternative options.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Defect Density

• Description: A metric that represents the number of defects identified in a component or system divided by the size of the system.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Agile, Six Sigma

Defect Repair

• Description: An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Agile, Six Sigma

Deliverable

• Description: A tangible or intangible good or service produced as a result of a project that is intended to be delivered to a customer.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Deliverable-based Planning

• Description: The project management technique of identifying the project success criteria in terms of specific deliverables.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Dependencies

• Description: Relationships between activities and tasks.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Dependency

• Description: A relationship between two activities, or between an activity and a milestone.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Development Team

• Description: The group of professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable Increment of “Done” product at the end of each Sprint.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Agile

Direct and Manage Project Work

• Description: The process of leading and performing the work defined in the project management plan and implementing approved changes to achieve the project’s objectives.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Earned Value Analysis (EVA)

• Description: A project management technique for measuring project performance and progress in a single integrated system.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Earned Value Management (EVM)

• Description: A project management technique for measuring project performance and progress in an objective manner.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Emotional Intelligence

• Description: The ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions and recognize, understand and influence the emotions of others.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs)

• Description: Any or all environmental factors, either internal or external to the organization, that influence the organization’s success but which are out of the team’s control.
• Phase: Initiating
• Methodology: Any

Epic

• Description: A large user story that cannot be delivered as defined within a single iteration or a project’s release duration.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

Epics

• Description: A large user story that needs to be broken down into smaller stories in Agile methodology.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

Escalation

• Description: The act of referring an issue or decision to the next higher level in the organizational hierarchy due to the inability or lack of authority to resolve the issue or make the decision at the current level.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Escalation Path

• Description: A process that allows for a decision to be forwarded to higher levels of authority when it can’t be resolved at the current level.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Estimate at Completion (EAC)

• Description: The expected total cost of completing all work expressed as the sum of the actual cost to date and the estimate to complete.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Estimate to Complete (ETC)

• Description: The expected cost to finish all the remaining project work.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Event Chain Methodology

• Description: A network analysis technique that is focused on managing events and event chains that affect project schedules.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Fast Tracking

• Description: 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.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Feasibility Study

• Description: An assessment of the practicality of a proposed project or system.
• Phase: Initiating
• Methodology: Any

Fishbone Diagram

• Description: Also known as Ishikawa diagram or cause and effect diagram, it is a visualization tool for categorizing the potential causes of a problem in order to identify its root causes.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Six Sigma

Fixed Price Contract

• Description: A type of contract where the payment amount does not depend on resources used or time expended.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Float (Slack)

• Description: The amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the project finish date, or interfering with the start date of any successor(s).
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Float/Slack

• Description: The amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the project finish date.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Flow Chart

• Description: A type of diagram that represents a workflow or process, showing the steps as boxes of various kinds, and their order by connecting them with arrows.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Flowchart

• Description: A graphical representation of a process, depicting inputs, outputs and units of activity.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Forecasting

• Description: The process of predicting future events or trends based on historical data.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Functional Manager

• Description: A person who has management authority over an organizational unit—such as a department—within a business, company, or other organization.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Functional Organization

• Description: An organizational structure in which staff are grouped hierarchically by specialty.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Functional Requirements

• Description: The specific behavior of a system, such as inputs, processes, outputs and interfaces.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Gantt Chart

• Description: A type of bar chart that illustrates a project schedule.
• Phase: Planning, Execution
• Methodology: Any

Gap Analysis

• Description: The method of identifying the differences between current performance and desired future goals.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Gate

• Description: 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 not continue.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Gemba Walk

• Description: A management practice for grasping the current situation by going to the ‘real place’ where work is done.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Lean

Governance

• Description: The framework within which authority is exercised in a company.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Heijunka

• Description: A technique for leveling the production schedule to reduce lead times, inventory and improve throughput.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Lean

Histogram

• Description: A graphical representation of the distribution of a dataset. It is an estimate of the probability distribution of a continuous variable.
• Phase: PMBOK, Six Sigma
• Methodology: Six Sigma

Increment

• Description: A piece of working product, implemented within an iteration, which is potentially shippable or ready for use.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Independent Cost Estimates

• Description: A method of estimating project cost that is conducted by an outside party to avoid bias.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Influence Diagram

• Description: A graphical representation of a decision problem, showing the relationships among the decision, chance events, and objectives.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Inspection

• Description: Examining a work product to determine whether it conforms to documented standards.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Integrated Change Control

• Description: The process of reviewing all change requests, approving changes, and managing changes to deliverables, organizational process assets, project documents, and the project management plan.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Integration

• Description: An overarching aspect of project management that coordinates all aspects of a project. The project manager uses the process of integration to ensure that all elements of the project are properly coordinated.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Internal Rate of Return (IRR)

• Description: A discount rate that makes the net present value (NPV) of all cash flows from a particular project equal to zero.
• Phase: Closing
• Methodology: Any

Interpersonal and Team Skills

• Description: The abilities a team member uses to interact effectively with others, including leadership, team building, negotiation, and conflict resolution.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Ishikawa Diagram

• Description: Also known as a fishbone diagram or cause-and-effect diagram, a visualization tool for categorizing the potential causes of a problem to identify its root causes.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Six Sigma

Issue

• Description: A problem that will impede the progress of the project and cannot be resolved by the project manager and project team without outside help.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Issue Log

• Description: A documentation element of software project management which contains a list of ongoing and closed issues of the project.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Issues

• Description: Current conditions that may have a negative impact on the project.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Iteration

• Description: A complete development loop resulting in a release of an executable product, or an increment of the product.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Jidoka

• Description: A quality assurance method that allows machines to detect when an abnormal condition has occurred and stop work.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Lean

Just in Time (JIT)

• Description: A methodology aimed primarily at reducing times within the production system as well as response times from suppliers and to customers.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Lean

Just-In-Time (JIT)

• Description: An inventory strategy companies employ to increase efficiency and decrease waste by receiving goods only as they are needed in the production process, thereby reducing inventory costs.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Lean

Kaizen

• Description: A philosophy or practices focusing on continuous improvement in manufacturing, business processes, and management.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Lean Six Sigma

Kanban

• Description: A scheduling system for lean and just-in-time production. Kanban is a system to control the logistical chain from a production point of view, and is an inventory control system.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Lean, Agile

Kano Model

• Description: A theory of product development and customer satisfaction which classifies customer preferences into categories.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Description: A type of performance measurement that evaluates the success of an organization or of a particular activity in which it engages.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Kickoff Meeting

• Description: The first meeting with the project team and the client of the project.
• Phase: Initiation
• Methodology: Any

Knowledge Areas

• Description: Identified areas of project management defined by their knowledge requirements and used in PMBOK.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Lean

• Description: A systematic method for the elimination of waste within a manufacturing system.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Lean

Lean Project Management

• Description: An approach that emphasizes increasing efficiency and minimizing waste in the process of executing a project.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Lean

Lean Six Sigma

• Description: A methodology that combines Lean manufacturing/Lean enterprise and Six Sigma to eliminate the seven kinds of wastes: Transportation, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Overproduction, Over-processing, and Defects.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Lean Six Sigma

Lessons Learned

• Description: The learning gained from the process of performing the project.
• Phase: Closing
• Methodology: Any

Lessons Learned Log

• Description: A document that includes knowledge or understanding gained by experience.
• Phase: Closing
• Methodology: Any

Lessons Learned Register

• Description: A document where the team records what went well and what didn’t go well on a project.
• Phase: Closing
• Methodology: Any

Make-or-Buy Decisions

• Description: The act of choosing between manufacturing a product in-house or purchasing it from an external supplier.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Management Reserve

• Description: An amount of the project budget withheld for management control purposes, as opposed to for the performance of the project work.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Master Schedule

• Description: A global project schedule that includes major milestones and deliverables from each department or team.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Matrix Organization

• Description: A type of organizational management in which people with similar skills are pooled for work assignments.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Milestone

• Description: A reference point marking a major event in a project used to monitor the project’s progress.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Milestone List

• Description: A list identifying all project milestones and indicating whether it is mandatory or optional.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Mind Map

• Description: A diagram used to visually organize information, often around a single concept, drawn as an image in the center of a blank page, to which associated representations of ideas such as images, words and parts of words are added.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

• Description: A product with just enough features to satisfy early customers and to provide feedback for future product development.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

Monitor and Control Project Work

• Description: The process of tracking, reviewing, and reporting the progress to meet the performance objectives defined in the project management plan.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Monte Carlo Simulation

• Description: A mathematical technique that allows you to account for risk in quantitative analysis and decision making by running a large number of simulations and then examining the results.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

MoSCoW Prioritization

• Description: A technique used to prioritize the importance of the delivery of each requirement, it stands for Must have, Should have, Could have, and Won’t have.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

Net Present Value (NPV)

• Description: The difference between the present value of cash inflows and the present value of cash outflows over a period of time.
• Phase: Closing
• Methodology: Any

Non-Functional Requirements

• Description: The overall qualities or attributes of a system, such as scalability, reliability, usability and performance.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Offshoring

• Description: The relocation of a business process from one country to another—typically an operational process, such as manufacturing, or supporting processes, such as accounting.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Onboarding

• Description: The action or process of integrating a new employee into an organization.
• Phase: Initiating
• Methodology: Any

Operational Level Agreement (OLA)

• Description: An agreement between an IT service provider and another part of the same organization that outlines the responsibilities of both parties.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Operational Work

• Description: An ongoing core business activity of an organization.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS)

• Description: A hierarchical organization that illustrates an organization’s existing departments, teams, or individuals that will complete the project work.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Organizational Process Assets (OPAs)

• Description: Any artifact, practice, or knowledge from any or all of the organizations involved in the project that can be used to execute or govern the project.
• Phase: Initiating
• Methodology: Any

Outsourcing

• Description: The business practice of hiring a party outside a company to perform services and create goods that were traditionally performed in-house by the company’s own employees and staff.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Pair Programming

• Description: An Agile software development technique in which two programmers work together at one workstation, one typing, the other observing or vice versa.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Parametric Estimating

• Description: An estimating technique in which an algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration based on historical data and project parameters.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Pareto Analysis

• Description: A statistical technique in decision-making used for the selection of a limited number of tasks that produce significant overall effect.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Six Sigma

Pareto Chart

• Description: A type of chart that contains both bars and a line graph, where individual values are represented in descending order by bars, and the cumulative total is represented by the line.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Six Sigma

Payback Period

• Description: The period of time that it takes for a project to recover its initial investment.
• Phase: Closing
• Methodology: Any

PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act)

• Description: A four-step management method used in business for the control and continuous improvement of processes and products.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Lean Six Sigma

Performance Reporting

• Description: The actof collecting and disseminating performance information to stakeholders, including status reporting, progress measurement, and forecasting.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Performance Reviews

• Description: The assessment of the performance of a team member by comparing the actual performance against the set standards.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

PERT Chart

• Description: A project management tool used to schedule, organize, and coordinate tasks within a project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

PESTEL Analysis

• Description: A framework or tool used by marketers to analyze and monitor the macro-environmental (external marketing environment) factors that have an impact on an organization.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Phase Gate Review

• Description: A type of project management process where each phase of the project is subjected to approval by an individual or board.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Planning Horizon

• Description: The amount of time an organization will look into the future when preparing a strategic plan.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

PMBOK

• Description: Project Management Body of Knowledge, a guide created by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

PMI’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

• Description: A standard of ethics by PMI that all project management professionals should adhere to.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

PMO (Project Management Office)

• Description: An organizational structure that standardizes the project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Poka Yoke

• Description: A Japanese term that means “mistake-proofing”. A poka-yoke is any mechanism in a lean manufacturing process that helps an equipment operator avoid (yokeru) mistakes (poka).
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Lean Six Sigma

Portfolio Management

• Description: The centralized management of one or more portfolios to achieve strategic objectives.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Post-Mortem Review

• Description: A process usually conducted at the conclusion of a project to determine and analyze elements of the project that were successful or unsuccessful.
• Phase: Closing
• Methodology: Any

Preventive Action

• Description: An action plan to address potential deviations from the project management plan.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Lean, Six Sigma

Prince2

• Description: A structured project management method and practitioner certification program. PRINCE stands for ‘PRojects IN Controlled Environments’.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Prince2

Process Groups (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, Closing)

• Description: The five groups of project management activities defined in the PMBOK.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Procurement

• Description: The process of finding and acquiring goods, services, or works from an external source.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Procurement Documents

• Description: The documents utilized from the procurement process throughout the implementation process of a project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Procurement Management

• Description: The management and administration of the processes required to acquire products, services, or results from outside the project team or organization.
• Phase: Planning, Execution
• Methodology: Any

Procurement Management Plan

• Description: A document that describes how procurement will be managed and the procurement process for the project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Procurement Statement of Work (SOW)

• Description: A document that describes the procurement needs in sufficient detail to allow prospective sellers to determine if they are capable of providing the products, services, or results.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Product Backlog

• Description: In Scrum, a prioritized list of the features to be developed in a product or service.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Agile

Product Owner

• Description: A role in Scrum responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog, ensuring the team is working on the right features in order to deliver maximum value.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Agile

Product Roadmap

• Description: A high-level visual summary that maps out the vision and direction of your product offering over time.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)

• Description: A statistical tool, used in project management, designed to analyze and represent the tasks involved in completing a given project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Program Management

• Description: The process of managing several related projects, often with the intention of improving an organization’s performance.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Benefits

• Description: The positive outcomes, profits or gains derived as a result of completing the project.
• Phase: Initiation
• Methodology: Any

Project Charter

• Description: A statement of the scope, objectives, and stakeholders involved in a project.
• Phase: Initiating
• Methodology: Any

Project Close-Out

• Description: The last phase of the project lifecycle.
• Phase: Closure
• Methodology: Any

Project Communication Management

• Description: The process of timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination, storage, and disposal of project information.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Cost Management

• Description: The process of planning and controlling the budget of a project or business.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Deliverables

• Description: The tangible outcomes, results, or products that are expected from the project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Project Governance

• Description: The management framework within which project decisions are made.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Health Check

• Description: A quick overview of the project to assess its health or status, generally based on the schedule, budget, risks, and issues.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Project Initiation

• Description: The process of formally starting a new project by defining its existence and scope, obtaining authorization to start the project, and identification of the stakeholders.
• Phase: Initiation
• Methodology: Any

Project Integration Management

• Description: The coordination of all elements of a project to ensure they function together properly.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Kickoff

• Description: A meeting with all key stakeholders where the project team presents the key planning documents and sets expectations for how the project will be managed.
• Phase: Initiating
• Methodology: Any

Project Life Cycle

• Description: The sequence of phases that a project goes through from its initiation to its closure.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Lifecycle

• Description: The series of phases that a project passes through from its initiation to its closure.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Management Information System (PMIS)

• Description: An automated system to help with project management duties, such as producing project reports and managing resources.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Management Office (PMO)

• Description: An organizational structure that standardizes the project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Management Plan

• Description: A formal, approved document used to manage project execution, monitoring, and control.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Project Management Software

• Description: An application that helps project managers and other team members to manage projects, tasks and to collaborate.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Management Triangle

• Description: Also known as the Triple Constraint, Iron Triangle, and ‘Project Triangle’, this model demonstrates that the quality of work is constrained by the project’s budget, deadlines, and scope.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Project Manager

• Description: The person assigned by the project sponsor to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Project Milestones

• Description: Significant points or events in the project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Project Name

• Description: The name assigned to the project.
• Phase: Initiation
• Methodology: Any

Project Objective

• Description: The overall goal that the project is designed to achieve.
• Phase: Initiation
• Methodology: Any

Project Phase

• Description: A collection of logically related project activities that culminates in the completion of one or more deliverables.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Project Portfolio

• Description: A group of projects that are managed together to achieve strategic objectives.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Project Portfolio Management

• Description: The centralized management of the processes, methods, and technologies used by project managers and project management offices (PMOs) to analyze and collectively manage current or proposed projects based on numerous key characteristics.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Procurement Management

• Description: The management of the process to purchase/ acquire products, services, or results needed from outside the project team.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Quality Management

• Description: The process to ensure that the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Risk Management

• Description: The process of identifying, analyzing and responding to risk factors throughout the life of a project.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Schedule

• Description: A timeline that specifies when the project will begin and end.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Project Schedule Network Diagram

• Description: A graphical representation of the logical relationships among the project schedule activities.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Project Scope

• Description: The work that needs to be accomplished to deliver a product, service, or result.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Project Scope Management

• Description: The process of ensuring a project’s scope is accurately defined andmapped and enables project managers to allocate the proper labor and costs necessary to complete the project.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Scope Statement

• Description: The document that provides an understanding, justification, and expected result of a project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Project Selection Methods

• Description: The methods used to choose the most suitable project, based on strategic fit, risks, finances, and other factors.
• Phase: Initiating
• Methodology: Any

Project Sponsor

• Description: The individual or group who provides the project’s financial resources.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Statement of Work (SOW)

• Description: A document that describes the product, service, or result to be delivered by the project.
• Phase: Initiating
• Methodology: Any

Project Status Report

• Description: A regular report on the progress of the project.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Project Team

• Description: The group that is performing the work of the project.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Project Time Management

• Description: The function required to maintain timely completion of a project.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Project Tolerance

• Description: The degree of variance that is acceptable before some type of corrective action will be required.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Projectized Organization

• Description: An organizational structure in which the project manager has full authority to direct and control the project.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Quality Assurance

• Description: The maintenance of a desired level of quality in a service or product.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Quality Audit

• Description: A structured, independent process to determine if project activities comply with organizational and project policies, processes, and procedures.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Quality Control

• Description: The process of ensuring that a product or service meets specified requirements.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Quality Function Deployment (QFD)

• Description: A method to transform user demands into design quality, to deploy the functions forming quality, and to deploy methods for achieving the design quality into subsystems and component parts, and ultimately to specific elements of the manufacturing process.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Quality Management

• Description: The act of overseeing different activities and tasks within an organization to maintain a desired level of excellence.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Quality Management Plan

• Description: A component of the project or program management plan that describes how an organization’s quality policies will be implemented.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

RACI Chart

• Description: A matrix of all the activities or decision-making authorities undertaken in an organization set against all the people or roles.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

RACI Matrix

• Description: A responsibility assignment matrix that is used to have a clear model about the roles and the processes of a project. The acronym stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

RAID Log

• Description: A project management tool used to track risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies.
• Phase: Planning, Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Request for Information (RFI)

• Description: A standard business process whose purpose is to collect written information about the capabilities of various suppliers.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Request for Proposal (RFP)

• Description: A type of bidding solicitation in which a company or organization announces that funding is available for a particular project or program, and companies can place bids for the project’s completion.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Request for Quote (RFQ)

• Description: A document that an organization submits to one or more potential suppliers eliciting quotations for a product or service.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM)

• Description: A document that links requirements throughout the validation process, helping to ensure that all requirements defined for a system are tested in the test protocols.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Requirements Gathering

• Description: The process of generating a list of requirements (functional, system, technical, etc.) from all the stakeholders that will be used as the basis for the formal Definition of Requirements.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Resource Allocation

• Description: The process of assigning and managing assets in a manner that supports an organization’s strategic goals.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)

• Description: A hierarchical structure used to organize the available resources by resource category and resource type.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Resource Calendar

• Description: A tool that defines the availability and non-availability of resources.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Resource Histogram

• Description: A graphical representation showing the distribution and allocation of resources in a project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Resource Leveling

• Description: A technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource limitations with the goal of balancing demand for resources with the available supply.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Resource Management

• Description: Effective deployment and manipulation of human resources, technological resources, and natural resources.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Resource Optimization Techniques

• Description: The techniques to adjust the start and finish dates of activities that adjust planned resource use to be equal to or less than resource availability.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

• Description: A tool that identifies the role of each member of a team for different parts of a project.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Retrospective

• Description: A meeting held by a project team at the end of a project or process (or at the end of an iteration) to discuss what was successful about the project or time period, and what could be improved.
• Phase: Closing
• Methodology: Agile

Return on Investment (ROI)

• Description: A ratio between net profit and cost of investment.
• Phase: Closing
• Methodology: Any

Rework

• Description: Action taken to bring a defective or non-conforming component into compliance with requirements or specifications.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Risk Appetite

• Description: The level of risk that an organization is prepared to accept in pursuit of its objectives, before action is deemed necessary to reduce the risk.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS)

• Description: A hierarchically organized depiction of the identified project risks arranged by category.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Risk Management

• Description: The identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Risk Mitigation

• Description: A systematic reduction in the extent of exposure to a risk and/or the likelihood of its occurrence.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Risk Register

• Description: A document which contains details about identified project risks, including descriptions, category, probability of occurring, impact on objectives, proposed responses, owners, and current status.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Risk Threshold

• Description: The level of uncertainty or the level of impact at which a stakeholder may have a specific interest.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Risk Tolerance

• Description: The degree, amount, or volume of risk that an organization or individual will withstand.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Risks

• Description: Potential events or conditions that may have a negative impact on the project.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Roles and Responsibilities

• Description: Defined duties and expected results for each project team member.
• Phase: Initiation
• Methodology: Any

Rolling Wave Planning

• Description: 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.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Root Cause Analysis

• Description: A problem-solving method that involves identifying the root causes of faults or problems.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Run Chart

• Description: A graph that displays observed data in a time sequence.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Six Sigma

Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)

• Description: A set of organization and workflow patterns for implementing agile practices at enterprise scale.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)

Scatter Diagram

• Description: A graphical representation that uses Cartesian coordinates to display values for typically two variables for a set of data.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Six Sigma

Schedule Compression

• Description: Techniques used to shorten theproject schedule without reducing the project scope.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

• Description: A measure of schedule efficiency on a project.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Schedule Variance (SV)

• Description: A measure of schedule performance on a project, it is the difference between the earned value and the planned value.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Scope Baseline

• Description: An approved version of a scope statement, work breakdown structure (WBS), and its associated WBS dictionary, which can be changed using formal change control procedures.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Scope Creep

• Description: Uncontrolled changes or continuous growth in a project’s scope.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Scope Verification

• Description: The process of formalizing acceptance of the completed project deliverables.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Scrum

• Description: An agile framework for managing work with an emphasis on software development.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Scrum Board

• Description: A tool that provides a visual representation of the work to be done in a Scrum sprint.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Scrum Master

• Description: A role in Scrum responsible for promoting and supporting the use of Scrum, by helping everyone understand Scrum theory, practices, rules, and values.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Agile

Scrum of Scrums

• Description: A technique to operate SCRUM at scale, for multiple teams working on the same product, allowing them to discuss progress on their interdependencies, focusing on how to coordinate delivering software.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Seller Proposals

• Description: The written document that provides information about their skills, qualifications, and experience that makes them the best candidate.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Sensitivity Analysis

• Description: The study of how the uncertainty in the output of a mathematical model or system (numerical or otherwise) can be apportioned to different sources of uncertainty in its inputs.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Service Level Agreement (SLA)

• Description: An agreement between a service provider and its internal or external customer that documents what services the provider will furnish.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Simulation

• Description: A technique that uses a model as the basis for simulations to predict the behavior of the system.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers)

• Description: A type of process map that includes: suppliers (sources), input, process, output, and customers.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Six Sigma

Six Sigma

• Description: A set of techniques and tools for process improvement.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Six Sigma

SMART Goals

• Description: A set of objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Source Selection Criteria

• Description: A list of relevant attributes desired by the buyer which a seller’s response must meet to be eligible for contract award.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Sprint

• Description: A set period of time during which specific work has to be completed and made ready for review in the Scrum methodology.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Sprint Backlog

• Description: The set of product backlog items selected for the sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product increment and realizing the sprint goal.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Sprint Goal

• Description: A shared objective for the Sprint that can be met through the implementation of Product Backlog.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Sprint Retrospective

• Description: An opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next sprint.
• Phase: Closure
• Methodology: Agile

Sprint Review

• Description: A meeting at the end of a sprint where the Scrum Team and stakeholders collaborate about what was done in the sprint.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Sprints

• Description: In Agile project management, a set period of time during which specific work has to be completed and made ready for review.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Staffing Management Plan

• Description: A component of the human resources management plan which describes when and how project team members will be acquired and how long they will be needed.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Stage-Gate Process

• Description: A conceptual and operational roadmap for moving a new-product project from idea to launch.
• Phase: Planning, Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Stakeholder

• Description: 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.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Stakeholder Analysis

• Description: An approach that is frequently used to identify and investigate the Force Field formed by any group or individual that can affect or is affected by the achievement of the objectives of a project.
• Phase: Initiating
• Methodology: Any

Stakeholder Cube

• Description: A three-dimensional model used to represent a project’s stakeholders and their interrelationships.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Stakeholder Engagement

• Description: The process by which an organization involves people who may be affected by the decisions it makes or can influence the implementation of its decisions.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Stakeholder Engagement Assessment Matrix

• Description: A matrix that represents the engagement level of each stakeholder or stakeholder group.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Stakeholder Management

• Description: The systematic identification, analysis, planning, and implementation of actions designed to engage with stakeholders.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Stakeholder Management Plan

• Description: A document outlining the management strategies needed to effectively engage stakeholders.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Stakeholder Register

• Description: A document identifying the stakeholders with a particular interest in, or impact on, the project.
• Phase: Initiating
• Methodology: Any

Stakeholders

• Description: Individuals or organizations who may affect, be affected by, or perceive themselves to be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of the project.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Stand-up Meeting

• Description: A meeting, usually project status, where participants typically stand in order to keep the meeting short and efficient. Commonly used in Agile project management.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Statement of Work (SOW)

• Description: A document that provides a detailed explanation of the specific project’s goals, deliverables, features, functions, tasks, deadlines, and ultimately costs.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Status Report

• Description: A report summarizing the status, progress, and often the forecast of a project’s progress with sufficient detail.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Steering Committee

• Description: A group of high-level stakeholders who are responsible for providing guidance on overall strategic direction.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Any

Story Mapping

• Description: A method for arranging user stories to create a more holistic view of how they fit into the overall user experience.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

Story Points

• Description: A unit of measure for expressing an estimate of the overall effort that will be required to fully implement a product backlog item or any other piece of work.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

Sunk Cost

• Description: A cost that has already been incurred and cannot be recovered.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

SWOT Analysis

• Description: A strategic planning technique used to help a person or organization identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to business competition or project planning.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Takt Time

• Description: The maximum time allowed to produce a product in order to meet demand.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Lean

Task

• Description: An activity that needs to be accomplished within a defined period of time.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Theory of Constraints (TOC)

• Description: A management paradigm that views any manageable system as being limited in achieving more of its goals by a very small number of constraints.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: TOC

Three-Point Estimating

• Description: A technique that uses the optimistic estimate, the pessimistic estimate, and the most likely estimate to determine the cost or duration of an activity.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Time and Material Contract (T&M)

• Description: A type of contract that is a hybrid contractual arrangement containing aspects of both cost-reimbursable and fixed-price contracts.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Time Management

• Description: The process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Timebox

• Description: A previously agreed period of time during which a person or a team works steadily towards completion of some goal.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Timeboxing

• Description: An approach to task and time management that sets rigid constraints on how long a given task or activity can last.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

To Complete Performance Index (TCPI)

• Description: A project management tool to calculate the performance efficiency needed to achieve a task or project within the budget.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Top-Down Estimating

• Description: A method of project estimation where the overall project is estimated first, and individual tasks are estimated later.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Tornado Diagram

• Description: A special type of Bar chart, where the data categories are listed vertically instead of the standard horizontal presentation, and it is used to display the effect of changing a number of input variables on a single output variable.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Total Quality Management (TQM)

• Description: A management approach to long-term success through customer satisfaction which involves all members of an organization participating in improving processes, goods, services and the culture they work in.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: TQM

Trend Analysis

• Description: An aspect of technical analysis that tries to predict the future movement of a project or business based on past data.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Triple Bottom Line

• Description: An accounting framework with three parts: social, environmental (or ecological) and financial. Some organizations have adopted the TBL framework to evaluate their performance in a broader perspective to create greater business value.
• Phase: Initiation
• Methodology: Any

Triple Constraint

• Description: A model of the constraints of project management, which are cost, schedule, and scope.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Tuckman’s Stages of Team Development

• Description: The theory of group development, first proposed by Bruce Tuckman in 1965, which says that groups and teams go through four stages: forming, storming, norming, and performing.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Use Case

• Description: A list of actions or event steps, typically defining the interactions between a role (known in the Unified Modeling Language as an “actor”) and a system, to achieve a goal.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

User Stories

• Description: In Agile, a tool used in product development to capture a description of a software feature from an end-user perspective.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

User Story

• Description: An informal, natural language description of one or more features of a software system, often used in Agile development methodologies.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Agile

Validation

• Description: The process of evaluating a system or component during or at the end of the development process to determine whether it satisfies the specified requirements.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Value Analysis

• Description: A systematic and organized approach to providing the necessary functions in a project at the lowest cost.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Value Engineering

• Description: A systematic method to improve the “value” of goods, products or services by using an examination of function.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Value Stream Mapping

• Description: A lean-management method for analyzing the current state and designing a future state for the series of events that take a product or service from its beginning through to the customer.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Lean

Variance

• Description: A statistical measurement of the spread between numbers in a data set. In project management, it often refers to the difference between what was budgeted and what was actually spent.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Variance Analysis

• Description: A quantitative investigation of the difference between actual and planned behavior.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Variance at Completion (VAC)

• Description: The difference between what the project was originally expected (baselined) to cost, versus what it is now expected to cost.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Velocity

• Description: A measure of the amount of work a team can tackle during a single sprint in agile methodologies.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Agile

Vendor Management

• Description: The discipline of managing and controlling relationships with vendors or external service providers.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Verification

• Description: The process of evaluating a system or component during the development process to determine whether it satisfies the specified requirements.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Virtual Team

• Description: A group of individuals who work across time, space, and organizational boundaries with links strengthened by webs of communication technology.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Virtual Teams

• Description: Teams that work together from different geographical locations.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Any

Voice of the Customer (VOC)

• Description: A term usedto describe the in-depth process of capturing a customer’s expectations, preferences, and aversions.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Six Sigma

Waterfall

• Description: A sequential (non-iterative) design process, used in software development processes, in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards (like a waterfall) through the phases of conception, initiation, analysis, design, construction, testing, production/implementation, and maintenance.
• Phase: All Phases
• Methodology: Waterfall

Waterfall Model

• Description: A sequential design process, often used in software development processes, in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards (like a waterfall) through the phases of conception, initiation, analysis, design, construction, testing, deployment, and maintenance.
• Phase: Any
• Methodology: Waterfall

WBS Dictionary

• Description: A document that provides detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about each component in the work breakdown structure (WBS).
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Work Authorization System

• Description: A subsystem of the overall project management system that is a collection of formal documented procedures that defines how project work will be authorized to ensure that the work is done by the identified organization, at the right time, and in the proper sequence.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• Description: A hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team.
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Work Breakdown Structure Dictionary

• Description: A document that provides detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about each component in the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
• Phase: Planning
• Methodology: Any

Work Package

• Description: A group of related tasks within a project.
• Phase: Execution
• Methodology: Any

Work Performance Data

• Description: The raw observations and measurements identified during activities performed to carry out the project work.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Work Performance Information

• Description: The performance data collected from various controlling processes, analyzed in context and integrated based on relationships across areas.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any

Work Performance Reports

• Description: The physical or electronic representation of work performance information compiled in project documents, intended to generate decisions, actions, or awareness.
• Phase: Monitoring & Control
• Methodology: Any