Chapter 3 Key Terms CMSC 243

Activity

Any work that has a beginning and an end and requires the use of company resources including people, time, and/or money.

Best-case estimate

The most optimistic outcome.

Bottom-up technique

A method for analyzing a large, complex project as a series of individual tasks, called project tasks.

Brooks' Law

Frederick Brooks observed that adding more manpower to a late software project only makes it later.

Code review

See structured walk-through.

Concurrent task

A task that can be completed at the same time as another task.

Critical path

A series of events and activities with no slack time vital to the project schedule.

Critical Path Method (CPM)

Shows a project as a network diagram, with activities as vectors and events as nodes.

Dependent task

A task that must be completed in a serial sequence.

Design review

See structured walk-through.

Duration

The amount of time it will take to complete a task.

Event

A reference point that marks a major occurrence in a project.

Finish day/date

The day or date when a task is scheduled to be finished.

Gantt chart

A horizontal bar chart that illustrates a schedule.

Milestone

A reference point that marks a major occurrence in a project.

Network diagram

A PERT chart that visualizes project tasks and their relationships.

Open source

Software with source code made freely available for use and modification.

Person-day

The amount of work that one person can complete in one day.

PERT/CPM

A project management technique combining the Program Evaluation Review Technique and Critical Path Method.

Predecessor task

A single prior task upon which two or more concurrent tasks depend.

Probable-case estimate

The most likely outcome.

Project coordinator

The person who handles administrative responsibilities for the development team.

Project leader

The person charged with leading a project from a technical perspective.

Project management

The process of planning, scheduling, monitoring, controlling, and reporting on development.

Project manager

The person charged with managing a project from an administrative perspective.

Project monitoring

Guiding and supervising the project team's workload.

Project planning

Identifying project tasks and estimating completion time and costs.

Project reporting

Providing regular progress reports to management and the project team.

Project scheduling

Creating a specific timetable for project completion.

Project triangle

The three main components of a project: cost, scope, and time.

Qualitative risk analysis

Evaluating risk by estimating its probability and impact.

Quantitative risk analysis

Evaluating risk in terms of actual impact in dollars or time.

Risk

An event that could negatively affect the project.

Risk identification

Listing each risk and assessing its likelihood of affecting a project.

Risk management

The process of managing and controlling risks to minimize their impact.

Risk management plan

A plan that reviews project scope, stakeholders, budget, and risks.

Risk response plan

A proactive effort to anticipate a risk and plan actions to deal with it.

Slack time

The amount of time an event can be late without delaying the project.

Start day/date

The day or date when a task is scheduled to begin.

Structured walk-through

A review of a team member's work by other members of the team.

Successor task

Each of the concurrent tasks resulting from a predecessor task.

Task

Any work requiring company resources, having a beginning and end.

Task box

A component of a PERT/CPM chart containing scheduling and duration information.

Task group

A task that represents several activities.

Task ID

A number or code that uniquely identifies a task.

Task name

A brief descriptive name for a task within a project.

Task pattern

A logical sequence of tasks in a Work Breakdown Structure.

Testing review

See structured walk-through.

Weight

An important multiplier in analyzing estimates.

Work breakdown structure (WBS)

A project broken down into a series of smaller tasks.

Worst-case estimate

The most pessimistic outcome.