ProjectPlus AllCards 422

Project

Temporary work with a clear START and END that creates something unique. 💡 Hook: Temporary + Unique = Project. If it never ends, it's operations.

Operations

Ongoing, repeating work that keeps the business running (no end date). 💡 Hook: Operations = the treadmill that never stops.

Project vs. Operations (3 differences)

Projects are: 1) Temporary, 2) Unique, 3) Have a defined end. Operations are ongoing and repetitive.

Program

A group of RELATED projects with a common objective. 💡 Hook: Program = related family of projects.

Portfolio

ALL projects, programs, and work grouped to hit the company's STRATEGIC goals — projects don't have to be related. 💡 Hook: Portfolio = the whole investment bag, related or not.

Project life cycle (5 phases in order)

Discovery/Concept → Initiation → Planning → Execution → Closing. 💡 Hook: 'DIP-EC' — you DIP in, Execute, Close.

Waterfall

Linear and SEQUENTIAL — each phase must fully finish before the next starts. Best when requirements are fixed upfront. 💡 Hook: Water only falls DOWN, never back up.

Agile

UMBRELLA term for iterative, incremental development that welcomes changing requirements. ⚠️ Trap: If the question describes a SPECIFIC practice (sprints, WIP limits, pair programming), the answer is the specific framework (Scrum, Kanban, XP) — NOT 'Agile.'

Iterative development

Build in repeated CYCLES — design, build, test, repeat, refining each time. 💡 Hook: Iterate = repeat and refine.

Incremental development

Build in small PIECES that each add working functionality. 💡 Hook: Increment = add a chunk.

Scrum

Agile framework with fixed-length SPRINTS, a Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers. 💡 Hook: Sprints = Scrum.

Sprint

A short, fixed timebox (usually 2–4 weeks) where the Scrum team completes selected work.

Product Owner

Scrum role that OWNS and PRIORITIZES the product backlog — decides WHAT gets built and maximizes value. 💡 Hook: Owner owns the wish list.

Scrum Master

Scrum role that coaches the team on the framework and REMOVES blockers. Servant leader — not the boss. 💡 Hook: Master of the METHOD, not the people.

Product backlog

Prioritized list of ALL customer requirements for the product. Owned by the Product Owner.

Sprint backlog

The items the team pulled from the product backlog and committed to finish THIS sprint.

Increment (Scrum)

A completed, usable chunk of work that meets the Definition of Done and moves toward the product goal.

Sprint planning

Meeting at the START of a sprint where the team selects work and builds the sprint backlog.

Daily Scrum / Daily stand-up

Quick DAILY status meeting for the whole team (usually 15 min). 💡 Hook: Stand up = so short you don't sit.

Sprint review

END-of-sprint meeting to DEMO the work to stakeholders. 💡 Hook: Review = show the PRODUCT.

Retrospective

END-of-sprint meeting where the team reflects on HOW THEY WORKED and how to improve. 💡 Hook: Retro = improve the PROCESS (review = product, retro = process).

Backlog refinement

Ongoing process of analyzing, prioritizing, and clarifying backlog items as new info arrives.

Kanban

Agile method that VISUALIZES work on a board and LIMITS work in progress (WIP) to expose bottlenecks. 💡 Hook: Kanban = Board + WIP limits.

Extreme Programming (XP)

Agile framework with engineering practices like PAIR PROGRAMMING, test-driven development, and frequent releases. 💡 Hook: Pair programming = XP.

DevOps

Combining software DEVelopment with IT OPerationS into one integrated practice. 💡 Hook: Dev + Ops teams merge.

DevSecOps

DevOps + SECurity integrated into the whole pipeline.

CI/CD

Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery (or Deployment) — code is constantly tested, merged, and pushed out in small rapid updates.

Continuous integration (CI)

Code updates are frequently TESTED and MERGED into a shared repository/build server.

Continuous delivery

Updates are frequently tested and VALIDATED so they're always READY to release.

Continuous deployment

Updates are automatically pushed all the way to PRODUCTION. 💡 Hook: Delivery = ready to ship; Deployment = actually shipped.

SAFe

Scaled Agile Framework — runs agile across MANY teams at enterprise scale. 💡 Hook: SAFe = agile for the whole company.

Scrum vs SAFe team size

Agile/Scrum teams = 3–10 people. SAFe = scales agile beyond that across multiple teams.

SDLC

Software Development Life Cycle — the phases software goes through (plan, design, build, test, deploy, maintain). Works with waterfall OR agile.

PRINCE2

PRocess-based methodology with predefined phases, roles, and tasks — heavy structure and control. 💡 Hook: PRINCE = royal structure and rules.

Timebox

A FIXED time limit for an activity — when time's up, you stop. Core agile concept.

Minimum viable product (MVP)

Version with JUST enough functionality to demo and get early feedback. 💡 Hook: Minimum = bare-bones but working.

Scope creep

Uncontrolled, gradual growth of project scope WITHOUT formal approval. 💡 Hook: It CREEPS in change by change.

Progressive elaboration

Adding more DETAIL to plans as the project moves forward and you learn more.

Tailoring

Adapting the methodology/processes to FIT the specific project.

Functional organizational structure

Traditional hierarchy — everyone reports to ONE functional manager. PM has LEAST authority here. 💡 Hook: Functional = Functional manager wins.

Projectized organizational structure

PM and team operate as their own separate unit — PM has MOST authority. 💡 Hook: ProjectiZed = PM is the boss (Z = zenith of power).

Matrix organizational structure

Blend — people report BOTH to a functional manager AND a PM. Weak matrix = FM stronger; strong matrix = PM stronger; balanced = equal.

Relative authority

How much power the PM has COMPARED to the functional manager — depends on the org structure.

PMO (Project Management Office)

Centralized department that provides oversight, standards, tools, and support to PMs across the org.

Project sponsor

Senior person who CHAMPIONS the project, provides FUNDING, and approves major decisions. 💡 Hook: Sponsor = signs the checks.

Project stakeholder

ANYONE with a business interest in the project's outcome or who is affected by it.

Steering committee

Governing group that guides project priorities, policies, and big decisions.

Project manager (PM) vs Program manager

PM runs ONE project's daily work. Program manager coordinates MULTIPLE related projects and their shared objective.

Product manager

Owns the PRODUCT strategy and roadmap long-term (product can outlive many projects).

Functional manager

Manages a department (HR, finance, IT) — may lend staff or expertise to projects.

Business analyst (BA)

Translator between BUSINESS needs and IT — understands company priorities and the software environment.

SME (Subject Matter Expert)

Person with deep technical expertise in one specific area.

Solution architect

Designs computer/network systems to meet business requirements efficiently.

End user

The person who will actually USE the product day-to-day.

Internal vs external customer

Internal = consumer inside your own org. External = consumer outside your org.

Business case

Document that JUSTIFIES the investment — why the project is worth doing and how it aligns with company policy. Created in DISCOVERY phase.

Feasibility study

Analysis of whether the project CAN be done — checks hardware, software, facilities, databases needed.

Prototype

A simulated/mock version of the system used to clarify requirements early.

Benefit measurement model

Project SELECTION model that compares predicted value (ROI, revenue, IRR, demand). 💡 Hook: Benefit = compare the payoffs.

Mathematical model (project selection)

Selection model using formulas/algorithms to find the optimal choice.

Weighted factor decision model

Scores each option on criteria, MULTIPLYING important criteria by a weight. 💡 Hook: Weight = importance multiplier.

Criteria profiling

Decision model that evaluates and scores alternatives on EACH criterion.

Decision tree

Branch diagram to choose between alternatives — one decision, many factors. ⚠️ Trap: Flowchart = shows a PROCESS with many decisions; decision tree = ONE decision.

ROI (Return on Investment)

Metric: is the asset worth what it costs to deploy and maintain?

Alternatives identification

Generating different possible plans to achieve project goals.

Alternatives analysis

Comparing those different options to pick the best one.

Expected monetary value (EMV)

Average expected outcome when the future is uncertain: Probability × Impact ($). Used in decision trees.

Project charter

Brief FORMAL document that AUTHORIZES the project and names the PM. Created in INITIATION. 💡 Hook: Charter = birth certificate of the project.

Project kickoff meeting

First official meeting — aligns everyone on goals, roles, and expectations. Ends initiation / starts planning.

Project objectives

The measurable criteria that define whether the project succeeded.

Success criteria

Specific, measurable conditions that must be met for the project to be called a success.

Assumptions

Things you TREAT AS TRUE to start planning (not yet proven). 💡 Hook: Assume = accept without proof.

Constraints

LIMITS on the project — time, budget, scope, resources, quality.

Stakeholder register

Document listing all stakeholders with their info, assessment, and classification.

Stakeholder analysis

Figuring out each stakeholder's influence, interest, and needs.

Stakeholder engagement plan

Strategy to build stakeholder support and minimize negative impacts throughout the project.

Records management

Controlled storage and handling of official project records.

Preexisting artifacts

Documents from earlier phases/projects — review them at the start so you don't miss context or redo work.

Project scope statement

Document defining WHAT'S IN and WHAT'S OUT of the project — need, justification, requirements, boundaries.

Scope baseline

Approved version of the scope: scope statement + WBS + WBS dictionary. Changes require formal change control.

WBS (Work Breakdown Structure)

HIERARCHICAL breakdown of ALL project deliverables — defines the TOTAL scope. 💡 Hook: WBS = the project's family tree of deliverables. ⚠️ Trap: Top levels = broad deliverables; bottom = work packages.

Work package

The LOWEST level of the WBS — small enough to estimate cost and duration.

Decomposition

Breaking deliverables down into smaller pieces to build the WBS.

Code of accounts

Numbering system that uniquely identifies each WBS element (1.1, 1.1.2…).

MECE

Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive — WBS items must NOT overlap (ME) and together must cover EVERYTHING (CE). 💡 Hook: No overlaps, no gaps.

Requirements

Statements defining WHY the project exists, WHAT it must do, and HOW it'll be satisfied.

Functional requirements

What the system DOES — features and behaviors. 💡 Hook: Functional = functions.

Nonfunctional requirements (NFRs)

How WELL the system performs — speed, security, usability, reliability. 💡 Hook: The '-ilities.'

Requirements management plan

Describes how requirements will be analyzed, documented, and managed throughout the project.

Requirements documentation

Describes how each individual requirement meets the business requirements.

RTM (Requirements Traceability Matrix)

Table linking each REQUIREMENT to the deliverables (and tests) that satisfy it. 💡 Hook: Trace = follow the requirement from ask to proof. ⚠️ If a requirement has no test in the RTM, that's a gap — add the test.

Backlog

Prioritized list of requirements/features — top items are well-defined and ready to work.

Epic

HUGE agile deliverable, project-sized — spans several iterations/months. 💡 Hook: Epic = epic-sized.

Feature

Mid-size chunk of functionality — smaller than an epic, bigger than a user story.

User story

Small requirement from the user's view: 'As a ___, I want ___, so that ___.' 💡 Hook: Epic > Feature > User story.

Activity

A discrete, scheduled piece of work with estimated duration, cost, and resources.

Milestone

Checkpoint event with ZERO duration — marks approval points or major progress. ⚠️ Trap: milestones take NO time.

Dependency

Logical relationship between two activities (one relies on the other).

Predecessor / Successor

Predecessor = activity that comes FIRST. Successor = activity that FOLLOWS.

Finish-to-Start (FS)

Most common: Task A must FINISH before Task B can START. 💡 Hook: 'Clear dinner dishes BEFORE dessert' = FS.