Project Terminology

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Project Terminology

The Project Management Institute (PMI) publish the international defacto standard “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge”, better known as PBMOK. This is the bets reference guide to project terminology.

Advisory Group	The group that provides advice, opinion and input to the project team to influence the project, often comprising representatives of key stakeholders.
Archive	The process of adequately storing project documentation at the completion of a project, so that it may be accessed and used at a later date.
Change Control	The process of reviewing, accepting and controlling project changes through documentation to ensure proposed changes are duly considered, justifications identified and changes authorised prior to implementation.
Change Control Report	A report that recommends a change to a project and seeks Project Sponsor endorsement.
Communications Plan	A plan that addresses project communication requirements between the project team and stakeholders.
Closing Phase	The final phase of a project that results in a formal closure of the project that has been either completed or cancelled. Documentation used in this phase may includes the Project Closure and Lessons Learnt Report.
Complex project	A project that has at least 500 person hours of work, or has an allocated budget of at least $50 000, or presents significant risk that needs to be better managed (in the view of the Project Sponsor).
Contract	A mutually binding agreement that obligates the seller to provide a specified product or service, and the buyer to pay for it.
Control	The process of monitoring and comparing actual performance with planned performance, and taking corrective action where required.
Corrective Action	Corrections taken to remedy project challenges to alter the future performance of the project in accordance with the Project Plan.
Critical Path	A series of activities and tasks that must be undertaken in order and without delay, reflecting the total duration of a project (the longest path through the project).
Definition Phase	The initial phase of a project that identifies, defines and initiates a project. Documentation used in this phase may include strategic and operational plans, and the Project Brief.
Deliverable	Any measurable product, service or result that is a defined outcome of the project.

Effort	The quantity of human resources required to complete an activity, task or project, usually expressed in hours.
Execution Phase	The phase of a project that involves the implementation and control of the project. Documentation used in this phase may include Project Progress Report, Project Change Control and Quality Verification Report.
Gantt Chart	A graphical display of schedule-related information, typically comprising activities, dates and durations.
Key Stakeholders	Individuals, groups and organisations that are actively involved, impacted or interested in the project, who are believed to have the power to positively or negatively influence the project process or deliverables.
Lag	Represents a delay between a task and its successor task.
Lead	Represents a projected gap in time between a task and its pre-successor task.
Lessons Learnt Report	A report that records lessons learnt during a project and makes recommendations for future projects in an effort to retain knowledge and create a learning organisation environment.
Planning Phase	The phase of a project that involves planning the project and formulating a project plan. Documentation used in this phase may include the Simple Project Plan or Project Management Plan (depending on the category of project being undertaken).
Program Manager	The responsible officer of a program, comprising two or more related projects that need to be managed in a coordinated manner. Often referred to as a Project Director in Australia.
Project	A managed change activity that creates a unique product, service or result, and has a defined start and end date.
Project Brief	A business case and project proposal created in the Definition Phase of a project.
Project Budget	An assessment of the likely quantitative allocation of resources defined as person work hours and / or project cost estimates, that has been pre-authorised for project expenditure usually during the Definition or Planning Phase.
Project Closure	A form that signifies a project has been completed or cancelled, which is acknowledged by the Project Sponsor and makes reference to the performance of the project.
Project Coach	Someone who formally provides assistance to project team members to foster professional development and improve both quality and performance of projects, in a friendly and supportive manner.

Project Management	The process and application of applying knowledge, expertise, tools, techniques and effort in managing a project.
Project Management Plan	A formal, approved and comprehensive project plan used for complex projects that documents planning information and aids the execution of a specific project.
Project Support Centre (PSC)	A support office that registers and reports on projects and provides process-related resources (e.g., methodology and project templates), and coordinates staff training and development.
Project Manager	The single responsible officer for the project.
Project Organisational Chart	An organisational chart that outlines the groups and individuals involved in the project, including reporting channels.
Project Plan	A formal, approved and minimalist project plan used for simple projects that documents planning information and aids the execution of a specific project.
Project Quality Management	A process that defines, reviews and controls predefined quality aspects of project process and outcomes.
Project Register	A register of basic information about existing and authorised simple and complex projects, including the projects’ status.
Project Schedule	The start and end time of the project, that defines planned dates for performing activities and tasks.
Project Scope	All the activities and tasks (work) required to create the project deliverables (outcomes).
Project Sponsor	The person or group that provides the overall authority for the project’s existence and resource allocation (particularly the financial resources).
Project Steering Group	A committee or group that oversees a project. The Project Manager reports to, and seeks guidance from, this group.
Project Team	Members of the team directly or indirectly reporting to the Project manager, which may include staff, service providers or contractors.
Project Progress Report	A periodic report that offers feedback on the progress of a project.
Quality Officer	An individual given the responsibility to undertake a quality audit.
Quality Verification Report	A form used by a Quality Officer to report on a quality audit measuring the quality of a specific process or deliverable (or part thereof).
Responsibility Assignment Matrix	A table that links individuals or groups to specific responsibilities for each task in a project.
Risk Event	An uncertain event that may have a positive or negative effect on a project process or deliverables.

Risk Consequence	Used in defining a risk rating, it categorises the consequence of a risk as catastrophic, major, moderate, minor or insignificant.
Risk Likelihood	Used in defining a risk rating, it categorises the possibility of a risk being realised into almost certain, likely, possible, unlikely or rare.
Risk Management Plan	Defines risk events and considers their likelihood and consequence to identify a risk factor for each and also considers treatment strategies.
Risk Rating	The evaluation of a risk based on its identified likelihood and consequence, and categorised as low, moderate, high or extreme.
Scope	All the activities and tasks (work) required to create the project deliverables (outcomes).
Simple Project	A project that has at least 50 (and less than 500) person hours of work, or has an allocated budget of between $10 000 and $50 000.
Stakeholders	Individuals, groups and organisations that are actively involved, impacted or interested in the project.
Steering Committee	A group that provides governance, direction and guidance to the project. A Steering Committee is not warranted for all projects.
Strategic Link	The alignment of a project with the University’s strategic and operational plans.
Task	An active piece of work that can be specified, costed, scheduled and allocated resources.
Work Breakdown Structure	A deliverable-oriented grouping of project activities, tasks and subtasks that defines the total work scope of a project