Free PMP Terms and Definitions
Understanding common project management terms can be a challenge for all project managers. To help you understand those terms and definitions Crosswind Project Management has created a free to use glossary to help in your pmp training. In this page you will find the terms and definitions associated within the component areas of framework to get a better understanding of how this process works and relates to project management.
In project management, team is the group of people responsible for executing the tasks and producing deliverables outlined in the project plan and schedule, as directed by the project manager, at whatever level of effort or participation defined for the team.
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Coaching | Activities associated with providing guidance and reinforcement to people, so they can be more effective. |
| Colocation | A technique for improving team effectiveness, as well as communication and collaboration among team members, by placing them in close proximity to each other |
| Cross-Functional Team | A group whose members collectively provide the skills required to complete the project |
| Development Team | A self-organizing, cross-functional group of individuals who do the work of the project, including analysis, design, development, testing, technical communication, and documentation |
| Expert Judgment | The opinion of an authority on a project-related subject |
| Expert Power | A capacity in which one uses personal knowledge and expert opinion to get others to do what is desired |
| Explicit Knowledge | Knowledge that can be classified utilizing such symbols as words, numerals, and images. |
| Facilitation | The ability to direct a group event to achieve a successful conclusion. |
| Forcing | Applying an all or nothing (win/lose) to get the desired result |
| Functional Manager | A manager of any unit that creates a product or executes a service; also known as a line manager |
| Hierarchy of Needs | A pyramid representation of Maslow's Theory that a person's motivation is based on needs (and where the person fits in this pyramid) |
| Job Shadowing | To view individuals performing the tasks required by their positions |
| Knowledge | The composite of experience, values and beliefs, contextual information, intuition, and insight that people employ in an attempt to make sense of new experiences and information. |
| Knowledge Management | An approach to align people to share knowledge and work/collaborate together on the project. |
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Leadership | The ability to lead others to achieve desired results. Keys include experience, taking on challenges, and engaging stakeholders. |
| Majority | The votes of more than half of the members of a group, typically used to denote agreement with a decision |
| Mirroring | Matching behavior characteristics of another person or group |
| Mood Chart | A chart for tracking moods or reactions to identify areas that can be improved. |
| Motivation | An inner drive that moves people to be engaged and want to work to meet the goal of the project. |
| Observations | To view individuals performing the tasks required by their positions |
| Organization Chart | A graphical representation of an organization’s hierarchical framework as well as the relationships between departments and personnel, typically delineating lines of responsibility and authority |
| Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) | A ranked representation of the project organization that illustrates the relationship between activities and their performing organization unit |
| Organizational Theory | An approach to establish how to maximize productivity and efficiency with stakeholders on the project. |
| Power | The possible ability to influence behavior or performance of others |
| Product Owner/Customer | The primary business representative who manages the vision and ROI and has the authority to make decisions; also called the product champion and voice of the customer |
| Programmer-Coach | A person, typically a senior programmer, who guides the team in applying XP practices |
| Project Lead | A person who works with the project team to achieve project goals by helping to organize the work. They are also called a project manager. |
| Project Management Team | The individuals on the project team who perform project management activities |
| Project Manager (PM) | The person authorized by the performing organization to direct the team accountable for realizing project objectives |
| Project Team | The individuals responsible for reinforcing the project manager in the work of the project in order to realize project objectives |
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Recognition | A personal approach to emphasize good behavior, effort, or other attribute instead of simply a result. |
| Resource Breakdown Structure | A representation of resources ranked by category and type |
| Resource Management Plan | A component of the project management plan that defines the manner in which project resources are acquired, allocated, monitored, and controlled. |
| Resource Requirements | The types and quantities of resources needed for each activity that makes up a work package. |
| Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) | A graphical representation of the project resources committed to a monitored area of the project, such as a work package; typically applies RACI (responsibly, accountable, consult, inform) indicators to depict the form of commitment |
| Reward | A tangible item given to someone based on an achievement. |
| Reward and Recognition Plan | A formal approach to reinforce desired performance. |
| Role | A person’s identity within the project such as product owner/customer, project manager, developer, or tester |
| Scribe | The person who documents meetings and modeling sessions |
| Scrum Team | A self-organizing, cross-functional group of individuals who do the work of the Scrum |
| ScrumMaster | The servant leader and facilitator who ensures that the Scrum process is followed, that Scrum is used in a positive way by the team, and that the team is continually improving in its use of Scrum |
| Self-Organizing Team | A team formation type that defines a team able to function without centralized control. |
| Servant Leader | A leader whose focus is on providing what the team needs, removing roadblocks, and performing tasks that will support and improve team productivity |
| Servant Leadership | The approach of leading the team with a focus on the needs of the team members to attempt to maximize the highest possible team results. |
| Situational Leadership | The adaptation of leadership to the task at hand and in consideration of the maturity of the team |
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | The person or group responsible for providing resources and reinforcement for the project and for enabling the project to realize its objectives |
| Subject Matter Expert | Any person who has deep, specialized knowledge of a subject |
| T-Shaped | A general reference to a person that has deep knowledge or experience in one area, and a broad ability in other required areas needed by the team. |
| Tacit Knowledge | Individual knowledge (such as beliefs, experience, and insights) that can be difficult to express and share. |
| Team Charter | A document that delineates team values, agreements, and operating guidelines and establishes clear expectations regarding acceptable behavior by project team members. |
| Team Development | The creation of individual and team skills to maximize project output |
| Team Dynamics | The manner in which team members interact with each other |
| Team Management Plan | A component of the resource management plan that delineates the manner and timing in which team members are acquired and released. |
| Team Performance Domain | The performance domain associated with the team that will create the project deliverables to realize the desired project outcomes. |
| Team Resource Management | The processes to organize, lead, and manage the project team. Processes to procure and manage physical (non-personnel) project resources are also included. |
| Team-Building Activities | Facilitated by the project manager or other leader, formal or informal steps taken to help the team evolve into a high performing group. |
| Theory X | The hypothesis that management’s role is to direct, and if necessary, coerce the employee in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization |
| Theory Y | The hypothesis that management’s role is to develop employee potential and help them release that potential to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization |
| Thumb Vote | Agreement (thumbs-up) or disagreement (thumbs-down) with a statement, idea, or proposal; also called a Roman Vote |
| Unanimity | A decision with which all group members concurred |
| Virtual Team | A group of people with similar goals who form a team but spend little (if any) time together |
| War Room | A room shared by project personnel that can be used for planning and meetings, and display charts, graphs, and various other project information |
| Work Shadowing | An approach where someone can learn about and perform a job while learning from someone with more experience, including a mentor. |