Programme

PRG

A large complex piece of work that produces a clear outcome at a defined point in time. It will contain two or more distinct identity Projects, each with its own budget, management team and control/monitor/reporting structure. All cross project linkages and risks are managed at Programme level not Project level.

Project

PRJ

A complex piece of work that delivers a specific outcome, product or service, it has its own budget, management team and control/monitor/reporting structure. It contains three or more linked tasks or activities completed by business units or third party suppliers that are managed to achieve a specified outcome at a specific point in time. All cross task linkages and risks are managed at Project level not Task level. It may form part of a Programme.

Programme Board

PRG-BRD

The governance authority for the Programme Director/Manager, main functions are conflict resolution, over-scope issues and over-budget issues. The body providing final sign off on Programme Completion. Will contain representatives from Customer (Finance, Business Area’s, Users) and Programme Management team.

Project Board

PRJ-BRD

Typically used on very large Projects that are not covered by a Programme Board or where conflict potential is high. It is the governance authority for the Project Director/Manager; main functions are conflict resolution, over-scope issues and over-budget issues. The body providing final sign off on Project Completion. Will contain representatives from Customer (Finance, Business Area’s, Users) and Programme Management team if appropriate.

Project Task

PTSK

A clearly identified piece of work that delivers a product, service or event that when coupled to other task outcomes moves the project closer to completion.

Project Phase

PHS

A group of tasks that have similar focus. Typical Phases are; Concept, Planning, Building, Implementing & Completion. Note that “in-service support” is considered to be outside of Project activities being a project in its own right.

Programme Director

PRG-DIR

Responsible and accountable for the Programme outcome. Directs the programme activity and establishes and manages boundaries.

Project Director

PRJ-DIR

Responsible and accountable for multi-project outcomes that deliver closely related products or services where those products and services do not naturally form part of a Programme, or where a Programme exists that covers the whole business. Directs multi-project activity and establishes and manages boundaries. The leader of the project office team.

Project Office

PO

Controls, monitors and reports project activity on multi-project outcomes that deliver closely related products or services where those products and services do not naturally form part of a Programme Office remit. Focus is forwards not backwards.

Project Manager

PM

Manages project activity and all interfaces to achieve specified outcome.

Technical Team Lead

TTL

The leader of the technical development team. Works closely with the PM to achieve the specified outcome.

Work Package

WP

An identified unit of funding that is assigned for spend on specific task(s). Used to track spend activity against output.

Work Breakdown Structure

WBS

The detailed information of Project activity presented in hierarchic format; Project, task, sub-task, work element. Shows resource allocation at each level. 

Project Initiation Document

PID

The document that fully describes in narrative format the scope and extent of the project. As a minimum it will include the specified outcome, the controls (including quality issues) descriptions of the metrics of progress, the risks, the costs (including budget assigned and how spend will be monitored), the assumptions, the team who will deliver (including third-party suppliers) and the escalation process. It is issued to all interested parties before the project commences and will be used at project closure to assess performance on original requirement.

Budget Cost of Work Scheduled

BCWS

The budget that is planned for use on tasks scheduled in the project. Created at Project commencement (does not include scope creep, risk contingency or additional tasks as yet unseen).

Actual Cost of Work Performed

ACWP

The actual cost of performing the scheduled project tasks through to completion (includes agreed additional tasks added after project start and agreed scope creep). Created at project end to measure actual spend against planned spend.

Budgeted Cost of Work Performed

BCWP

Also known as Earned Value. The budgeted cost of completing the project tasks. Created and updated (using BCWS as base) as tasks complete.

Schedule Variance

SV

The difference between the planned cost of work and the earned value (SV=BCWP – BCWS)

Cost Performance Index

CPI

The factor that indicates project cost performance (i.e. the real effect of scope creep and additional tasks). Used at end of project (CPI=BCWP/ACWP)

Early Start

ES

The earliest opportunity at which a task can commence and not delay the project.

Optimum Start

OS

Taking into consideration all known factors this is the ideal planned start date of the task.

Late Start

LS

The absolute latest start date that will not impact the project end date.

Slack

SLK

The difference between the earliest start and the latest start (SLK=ES-LS). Sometimes known as “the window”.

Utilisation Rate

UR

The ratio indicator that shows individual/team/supplier activity quantity (not quality). Requires visible and explicit values to be assigned to workday, workweek, workyear. Implicit in this ratio is a target. Over target is as bad as under target.

Man-day

MD

The unit of one person working one day. Implicit in this unit is the definition in hours of a working day (i.e. 7.5 hrs excluding all breaks).

Man-year

MY

The unit of one person working one year. Implicit in this unit is the definition in days of a working year (i.e. 205 days and how it is comprised; no weekends, no bank-holidays, no personal holidays, no training etc).

Gannt Chart

GANNT

A chart that shows simple time-track data of scheduled tasks. Useful for presenting overall project shape. Devised during WW1 by Henry Laurence Gannt as way of showing ship construction tasks to new workers. Later adapted and developed by others.

PERT Chart

PERT

A method of presenting project critical path & linkages. Devised by Dupont and Remington Rand in the 1950’s later incorporated by the US Navy into their “Program Management Method” as the “Program Evaluation Review Technique” (PERT). Often used to model “what if scenarios” by changing variables giving managers greater understanding of delivery obstacles.

Milestone

MST

A key essential event that occurs in the project. Must be a specified hard deliverable rather than a soft end of task or phase (i.e. should be, software delivered and working satisfactorily, rather than software construction completed).

Touchstone

TST

An indicator event that occurs in the project. Must be specified clearly and can be a non-deliverable i.e. end of task or phase as described above.

Critical Success Factor

CSF

Something that must be in place to ensure project success.

Managing By Project Objectives

MBPO

A method where project based objectives are used to measure individuals performance on the project. Used over the project timescale and not the staff appraisal timescale.

Service Level Agreement

SLA

An approach that ensures supplier and customer agree on how their relationship will work and describes metrics of performance and how these will be acted upon.