Wideman Comparative PM Glossary

Source

ABC: See Activity Based Costing

ABM: See Activity Based Management

Abstract Resource: Imaginary resource introduced so that its availability and activity requirement gives an extra means of control. For example, two jobs not being worked upon simultaneously in order to obviate an accident hazard. [D04377]

APM
BS

Abstraction: The creation of a view or model that suppresses unnecessary details to focus on a specific set of details of interest. [D04796]

RUP

AC: See Actual Cost

Acceleration: The use of methods for completing work in a shorter time than previously planned or required by the contract. [D04904]

PDG

Acceptability Criteria: A limit or limits placed upon the degree of non-conformance permitted in material expressed in definitive operational terms. [D00001]

MIL-STD 109A
QMPP

Acceptable Quality Level ("AQL"): The maximum percent defective (or the maximum number of defects per hundred units) that, for the purpose of sampling inspection, can be considered satisfactory as a process average. [D00002]

MIL-STD 105
QMPP

Acceptance: The act of taking custody based on satisfactory verification. [D03972]

CSM

Approval (of results). [D00003]

NPMT

The act of an authorized representative of the government by which the government, for itself or as agent for another, assumes ownership of existing identified supplies tendered or approves specific services rendered as partial or complete performance of the contract. [D00004]

02 46.101
QMPP

The formal process of accepting delivery of a product or a deliverable. [D00005]

WST

The formal process of accepting the delivery of a deliverable or product normally based on verifying that it is in accordance with the Product Description. [D03584]

RMW

An action by which the customer accepts ownership of software products as a partial or complete performance of a contract. [D04679]

RUP

Acceptance Criteria: Performance requirements and essential conditions that have to be achieved before project deliverables are accepted. [D04378]

APM
BS

A prioritized list of criteria that the final product(s) must meet before the customer will accept them; a measurable definition of what must be done for the final product to be acceptable to the customer. They should be defined as part of the project brief and agreed between customer and supplier no later than the project initiation stage. They should be documented in the project initiation document. [D05235]

PRNC2

Acceptance Letters: Four (or more) formal letters written during the final Stage(s) of a project, i.e. Systems, Operations, Security, User and Business Acceptance Letters. [D03585]

PNG

Acceptance Number: The maximum number of defects or defective units in the sample that will permit acceptance of the inspection lot or batch. [D00006]

MIL-STD 109A
QMPP

Acceptance Review: A specification compliance control gate or check point at which adherence to expectations of the service or deliverables is verified. Performed at any level of the system or process. [D04312]

26

A control gate at which the buyer determines that the item presented for acceptance complies with its specification. Acceptance Reviews occur at all levels in the system hierarchy. The verification results are presented as evidence of specification compliance. [D00007]

VPM 291-4

A control gate to ascertain verification and acceptance. [D03974]

CSM

Acceptance Test: A predefined test to prove an equipment will perform the allotted task. [D00008]

RMW

Tests conducted in accordance with an approved verification plan and approved test procedures. Tests are best conducted by an independent organization and witnessed by a representative of the buyer for compliance with the test procedure and verification plan. [D03973]

CSM

Formal, pre-defined test conducted to determine the compliance of the deliverable item(s) with the acceptance criteria. [D04566]

APM
BS

Acceptance Test Procedure ("ATP"): Detailed step-by-step instructions for the setup, operation, and evaluation of tests. The procedure includes the approach to sampling and statistical quality control. [D03975]

CSM

Acceptance Testing: Formal testing conducted to determine whether or not a system satisfies its acceptance criteria and to enable the customer to determine whether or not to accept the system. [D05161]

SA-CMM

Accepted: The recorded decision or formal sign off by the customer, that an output or sub-output has satisfied the documented requirements and may be delivered to the customer or used in the next part of the process. [D05236]

TGPM

Access: Ability to enter the site of the project works and/or the necessary project data. [D02343]

RMW

Accommodation: The provision of suitable space and/or arrange to include additional requirements without processing a scope change. [D02344]

RMW

Account: A listing or statement of fiscal, corporate or project cost data. [D02345]

RMW

Accountability: Being answerable to one's superior in an organization for the exercise of one's authority and the performance of one's duties. See also Responsibility. [D00010]

CCCP

Being answerable for results. [D00009]

FWH

Accountability Matrix: See Responsibility/Accountability Matrix. [D00011]

Accountability/Responsibility Matrix: A structure which relates the project organization structure to the work breakdown structure; assures that each element of the project scope of work is assigned to a responsible individual. [D00012]

PMK87

Accountable: Responsible, answerable. [D03976]

CSM

Answerable for success or failure. [D05237]

SU

Accountant: A person responsible for maintaining fiscal or corporate accounts. [D02347]

RMW

Accounting: See Project Accounting. [D02348]

Accounts: In project accounting, a set of cost statements that display the current status of the project and future status upon completion. [D02346]

RMW

Accrual: An unpaid liability (debt) incurred from the receipt of materials or services, e.g. unpaid invoices, deliveries, contractor's time sheets, progress payments due and payables. [D04905]

SCL

Accrual Accounting: A system of accounting in which expenses are recognized when incurred, and revenues are recognized when they are known, regardless of the time when actual payment of cash is made or received. [D02271]

RMW

Accrual Method: A method that determines when the cost for a resource is incurred, the fixed costs for tasks, and when actual costs are charged to a project. [D00013]

MSP98

Accrued Cost: A cost that is incurred all at once at a certain time in a project or gradually, for instance, over the entire time a task is being worked on. [D00014]

MSP98

Accrued Costs: Costs that are earmarked for the project and for which payment is due, but has not been made. [D04567]

APM
BS

Accuracy: A degree of exactness. In project work, usually expressed as a range particularly in connection with estimates of cost and time. [D02349]

RMW

Achievement: A measure of performance or accomplishment to date. [D02350]

RMW

Acquisition: The obtaining under contract of supplies and services to meet the needs of a project. [D02272]

RMW

The acquiring by contract with appropriated funds of supplies or services (including construction) by and for the use of the organization through purchase or lease, whether the supplies or services are already in existence or must be created, developed, demonstrated, and evaluated. [D03792]

GAT

The process of obtaining through contract. [D05162]

SA-CMM

The process of obtaining products or services, whether they are already in existence or must be conceived, developed, demonstrated, or evaluated. It includes all aspects of contract administration and project management. Also called procurement. [D05238]

MFC

The set of activities performed to procure, develop and maintain a system. [D05240]

MSA

	Source
ABC See Activity Based Costing
ABM See Activity Based Management
Abstract Resource Imaginary resource introduced so that its availability and activity requirement gives an extra means of control. For example, two jobs not being worked upon simultaneously in order to obviate an accident hazard. [D04377]	APM BS
Abstraction The creation of a view or model that suppresses unnecessary details to focus on a specific set of details of interest. [D04796]	RUP
AC See Actual Cost
Acceleration The use of methods for completing work in a shorter time than previously planned or required by the contract. [D04904]	PDG
Acceptability Criteria A limit or limits placed upon the degree of non-conformance permitted in material expressed in definitive operational terms. [D00001]	MIL-STD 109A QMPP
Acceptable Quality Level ("AQL") The maximum percent defective (or the maximum number of defects per hundred units) that, for the purpose of sampling inspection, can be considered satisfactory as a process average. [D00002]	MIL-STD 105 QMPP
Acceptance The act of taking custody based on satisfactory verification. [D03972]	CSM
Approval (of results). [D00003]	NPMT
The act of an authorized representative of the government by which the government, for itself or as agent for another, assumes ownership of existing identified supplies tendered or approves specific services rendered as partial or complete performance of the contract. [D00004]	02 46.101 QMPP
The formal process of accepting delivery of a product or a deliverable. [D00005]	WST
The formal process of accepting the delivery of a deliverable or product normally based on verifying that it is in accordance with the Product Description. [D03584]	RMW
An action by which the customer accepts ownership of software products as a partial or complete performance of a contract. [D04679]	RUP
Acceptance Criteria Performance requirements and essential conditions that have to be achieved before project deliverables are accepted. [D04378]	APM BS
A prioritized list of criteria that the final product(s) must meet before the customer will accept them; a measurable definition of what must be done for the final product to be acceptable to the customer. They should be defined as part of the project brief and agreed between customer and supplier no later than the project initiation stage. They should be documented in the project initiation document. [D05235]	PRNC2
Acceptance Letters Four (or more) formal letters written during the final Stage(s) of a project, i.e. Systems, Operations, Security, User and Business Acceptance Letters. [D03585]	PNG
Acceptance Number The maximum number of defects or defective units in the sample that will permit acceptance of the inspection lot or batch. [D00006]	MIL-STD 109A QMPP
Acceptance Review A specification compliance control gate or check point at which adherence to expectations of the service or deliverables is verified. Performed at any level of the system or process. [D04312]	26
A control gate at which the buyer determines that the item presented for acceptance complies with its specification. Acceptance Reviews occur at all levels in the system hierarchy. The verification results are presented as evidence of specification compliance. [D00007]	VPM 291-4
A control gate to ascertain verification and acceptance. [D03974]	CSM
Acceptance Test A predefined test to prove an equipment will perform the allotted task. [D00008]	RMW
Tests conducted in accordance with an approved verification plan and approved test procedures. Tests are best conducted by an independent organization and witnessed by a representative of the buyer for compliance with the test procedure and verification plan. [D03973]	CSM
Formal, pre-defined test conducted to determine the compliance of the deliverable item(s) with the acceptance criteria. [D04566]	APM BS
Acceptance Test Procedure ("ATP") Detailed step-by-step instructions for the setup, operation, and evaluation of tests. The procedure includes the approach to sampling and statistical quality control. [D03975]	CSM
Acceptance Testing Formal testing conducted to determine whether or not a system satisfies its acceptance criteria and to enable the customer to determine whether or not to accept the system. [D05161]	SA-CMM
Accepted The recorded decision or formal sign off by the customer, that an output or sub-output has satisfied the documented requirements and may be delivered to the customer or used in the next part of the process. [D05236]	TGPM
Access Ability to enter the site of the project works and/or the necessary project data. [D02343]	RMW
Accommodation The provision of suitable space and/or arrange to include additional requirements without processing a scope change. [D02344]	RMW
Account A listing or statement of fiscal, corporate or project cost data. [D02345]	RMW
Accountability Being answerable to one's superior in an organization for the exercise of one's authority and the performance of one's duties. See also Responsibility. [D00010]	CCCP
Being answerable for results. [D00009]	FWH
Accountability Matrix See Responsibility/Accountability Matrix. [D00011]
Accountability/Responsibility Matrix A structure which relates the project organization structure to the work breakdown structure; assures that each element of the project scope of work is assigned to a responsible individual. [D00012]	PMK87
Accountable Responsible, answerable. [D03976]	CSM
Answerable for success or failure. [D05237]	SU
Accountant A person responsible for maintaining fiscal or corporate accounts. [D02347]	RMW
Accounting See Project Accounting. [D02348]
Accounts In project accounting, a set of cost statements that display the current status of the project and future status upon completion. [D02346]	RMW
Accrual An unpaid liability (debt) incurred from the receipt of materials or services, e.g. unpaid invoices, deliveries, contractor's time sheets, progress payments due and payables. [D04905]	SCL
Accrual Accounting A system of accounting in which expenses are recognized when incurred, and revenues are recognized when they are known, regardless of the time when actual payment of cash is made or received. [D02271]	RMW
Accrual Method A method that determines when the cost for a resource is incurred, the fixed costs for tasks, and when actual costs are charged to a project. [D00013]	MSP98
Accrued Cost A cost that is incurred all at once at a certain time in a project or gradually, for instance, over the entire time a task is being worked on. [D00014]	MSP98
Accrued Costs Costs that are earmarked for the project and for which payment is due, but has not been made. [D04567]	APM BS
Accuracy A degree of exactness. In project work, usually expressed as a range particularly in connection with estimates of cost and time. [D02349]	RMW
Achievement A measure of performance or accomplishment to date. [D02350]	RMW
Acquisition The obtaining under contract of supplies and services to meet the needs of a project. [D02272]	RMW
The acquiring by contract with appropriated funds of supplies or services (including construction) by and for the use of the organization through purchase or lease, whether the supplies or services are already in existence or must be created, developed, demonstrated, and evaluated. [D03792]	GAT
The process of obtaining through contract. [D05162]	SA-CMM
The process of obtaining products or services, whether they are already in existence or must be conceived, developed, demonstrated, or evaluated. It includes all aspects of contract administration and project management. Also called procurement. [D05238]	MFC
The set of activities performed to procure, develop and maintain a system. [D05240]	MSA

Glossary Terms