Project management is extremely useful but also packed with terms whose meaning can be obscure to the uninitiated. From “Activity” to “Kanban,” here’s the first part of our list of essential terms to understand project management.
Activity
Project managers call “activity” any scheduled phase in the deployment of a project. Activities have well-defined beginning and end points and require a number of tasks to be completed.
Agile Project Management
Agile project management consists in applying to all types of projects the principles of Agile, a project management framework originated in software development. Agile is based on continuous releases that improve gradually by incorporating feedback quickly and continuously.
Allocation
Allocation in project management means assigning resources to a certain activity or task.
BOSCARD
BOSCARD stands for Background, Objectives, Scope, Constraints, Assumptions, Risks and Deliverables. This is a planning tool that incorporates all these parameters. Project managers use it to provide the terms of reference for new projects.
Constraints
These are the obstacles that stand in the way of a project and must be taken into account when estimating the duration and completion date of the relevant phases and tasks.
Early Finish/Start Date
The earliest date by which a project activity can finish or start.
End User
The person or persons who will use the product that a project aims to create.
Gantt Chart
A classic project management tool that shows tasks as vertical bars whose length represents the duration of the task. To learn more about Gannt charts, take a look at this previous post.
Kanban
A workflow management method originated in Japan (“Kanban” means “visual sign” in Japanese) that organizes tasks as cards placed in columns usually called “To do,” “Doing,” and “Done.”
Late Finish/Start Date
The latest day by which a project or activity can finish or start.
More About Project Management
Project management is an exciting discipline with myriad real-world applications. Below are some previous posts you can read to learn more about this fascinating topic.
- Project Management for Everyone: 3 Tools You Can Start Using Today
- Do good design engineers make good project managers?
- 3 Reasons to choose a career in engineering design
- How is engineering design different from other types of design?
- A basic glossary of engineering design: part 1and part 2
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