Your FREE CompTIA Project+ Flashcards 2026 – 250+ Cards

The balance of scope, time (schedule), and cost, with quality at the center. Changing one forces a change in at least one other.

A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. It has a defined start and finish and a specific purpose.

A group of related projects managed together to gain benefits not available from managing them individually.

A collection of projects, programs, and operations managed as a group to achieve strategic business objectives.

The total work required to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified features and functions.

Uncontrolled expansion of project scope without adjusting time, cost, or resources; prevented by change control.

A product change alters the deliverable itself; a project change alters how the work is executed (schedule, cost, approach).

A predictive, sequential methodology where each phase completes before the next begins; best when scope is stable.

An iterative, adaptive approach that delivers work in short increments (sprints) and welcomes changing requirements.

An Agile framework using fixed-length sprints, a product backlog, daily stand-ups, and roles (product owner, scrum master, team).

An Agile method that visualizes work on a board and limits work in progress to improve flow.

An Agile software framework emphasizing frequent releases, pair programming, and continuous testing.

Scaled Agile Framework — applies Agile practices across large, multi-team enterprises.

PRojects IN Controlled Environments — a structured, process-based project management methodology.

Software Development Life Cycle — the phased process for planning, building, testing, and deploying software.

A culture and practice that unites development and operations to deliver software faster and more reliably.

DevOps with security integrated throughout the pipeline rather than added at the end.

A short, fixed time-box (often 1–4 weeks) in which an Agile team delivers a working increment.

A prioritized list of features, requirements, and work items for an Agile product.

A relative unit estimating the effort of a backlog item, rather than estimating in hours.

The amount of work an Agile team completes per sprint, used to forecast future capacity.

A formal proposal to alter a project's scope, schedule, cost, or quality.

A document that records every change request and its review status and decision.

The group that reviews change requests and approves, rejects, or defers them.

Analysis of how a proposed change affects scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, and risk.

An uncertain future event that may help or hurt the project; tracked in the risk register.

A problem that has already occurred and needs resolution now; tracked in the issue log.

Eliminate a threat entirely, for example by removing the risky scope.

Reduce a threat's probability or impact.

Shift a threat's impact to a third party, such as via insurance or a contract.

Take no proactive action; rely on a contingency reserve if the risk occurs.

Ensure an opportunity is realized.

Increase the probability or impact of an opportunity.

Partner with a third party to capture an opportunity.

Prioritizing risks subjectively by probability and impact (e.g., a probability-impact matrix).

Numerically analyzing risk, e.g., Monte Carlo simulation, to model overall project risk.

Time or budget set aside for identified (known) risks if they occur.

An alternative plan used when the primary risk response fails.

Investigating an issue to find its underlying cause rather than treating symptoms.

How serious an issue is; used with impact and urgency to prioritize resolution.

The longest sequence of dependent tasks; determines the shortest project duration. Tasks on it have zero float.

A technique that calculates the critical path and each task's float from a network of dependencies.

The amount of time a task can be delayed without delaying the project; critical-path tasks have zero float.

A dependency where a successor cannot start until its predecessor finishes (the most common type).

A dependency where a successor cannot start until its predecessor starts.

A dependency where a successor cannot finish until its predecessor finishes.

A dependency where a successor cannot finish until its predecessor starts (rare).

A dependency required by the nature of the work or a contract.

A dependency based on best practice or preference rather than necessity.

A significant point or event in a project with zero duration, used to mark progress.

The approved version of the scope, schedule, or cost plan against which performance is measured.

Formally resetting a baseline after major approved change, versus simply revising it.

Service Level Agreement — a contract defining the expected level of service and performance metrics.

Key Performance Indicator — a measurable value showing how effectively an objective is being met.

Objectives and Key Results — a goal-setting framework pairing objectives with measurable key results.

The difference between budgeted and actual cost for work performed; negative means over budget.

The difference between planned and actual progress; negative means behind schedule.

Verification checks the product was built right (meets specs); validation checks the right product was built (meets needs).

Testing individual components in isolation.

Re-testing to confirm new changes did not break existing functionality.

Final testing by end users to confirm the product meets business needs before release.

Real-time communication such as a meeting, call, or video conference.

Communication that does not require simultaneous participation, such as email.

Anything that distorts or interferes with a message between sender and receiver.

Fully concentrating on, understanding, and responding to a speaker to ensure accurate communication.

Allocating a fixed maximum time to an activity or meeting to keep it focused.

A meeting at the start of a project (or phase) to align the team and stakeholders on goals and roles.

A short daily Agile meeting where the team shares progress, plans, and blockers.

A decisive group of senior stakeholders that provides direction and major decisions.

An Agile meeting at a sprint's end to reflect on what went well and what to improve.

An org structure where staff report to functional managers; the PM has limited authority.

An org structure where staff report to both a functional manager and a project manager.

An org structure organized around projects; the PM has high authority over resources.

The person who champions and funds the project and has ultimate authority.

Anyone affected by or who can affect the project.

The Agile servant-leader who facilitates the process and removes impediments for the team.

The Agile role that owns and prioritizes the product backlog to maximize value.

Project Management Office — a group that standardizes and supports project management practices.

Subject Matter Expert — a person with deep expertise in a specific area.

A role that elicits, analyzes, and documents requirements.

Procurement options: build it in-house, buy a product outright, or lease it for a period.

A procurement model where you pay recurring fees for ongoing access rather than buying outright.

Request for Information — gathers general information about vendors and capabilities.

Request for Proposal — asks vendors to propose a complete solution, evaluated on best value.

Request for Quotation — asks vendors for pricing on clearly defined goods or services.

Request for Bid — a competitive bid typically awarded on lowest qualifying cost.

A contract for a set total price; the vendor bears the cost risk.

A contract paying for actual labor time and materials used; flexible but the buyer bears cost risk.

A contract reimbursing costs plus an added fee or percentage.

A document detailing the work, deliverables, and timeline a vendor will provide.

An overarching contract setting general terms for ongoing work, with details in individual SOWs.

Non-Disclosure Agreement — a contract protecting confidential information shared between parties.

Adjusting the schedule to resolve over-allocation of resources, which may extend the timeline.

Approaches to handle team conflict: Smoothing, Forcing, Compromise, Collaboration, and Avoiding.

Resolving conflict by working together to a win-win solution; usually the best long-term approach.

Imposing one party's view; fast but can damage relationships.

Emphasizing areas of agreement and downplaying differences; a temporary fix.

Each party gives up something to reach a middle-ground solution (lose-lose elements).

Withdrawing from or postponing a conflict; rarely resolves the underlying issue.

Leveling adjusts the schedule to fix over-allocation; smoothing keeps the finish date and uses float only.

Comparing current capabilities to required ones to identify what is missing.

Ordering backlog items by value and urgency so the team works on the most important first.

A large body of Agile work that can be broken into smaller stories or tasks.

A short, plain-language description of a feature from the user's perspective.

Raising an issue or decision to higher authority when it exceeds the team's ability to resolve.

Severity, impact, urgency, and scope of impact determine how quickly an issue is addressed.

A temporary solution that bypasses a problem until a permanent fix is implemented.

Known risks are identified and planned for with contingency; unknown risks use management reserve.

A grid scoring risks by likelihood and consequence to rank them.

Obtaining goods and services from outside the project organization.

Best value weighs quality and capability; lowest cost picks the cheapest qualifying option.

A supplier already vetted and approved for use, speeding procurement.

Comparing a project's expected costs to its expected benefits to support a decision.

The approved schedule used as the reference to measure schedule performance.

The approved time-phased budget used to measure cost performance.

The approved scope statement, WBS, and WBS dictionary.

Predicting future project performance based on current data and trends.

Reviews that verify the project follows processes and meets quality requirements.

A quick test confirming the most critical functions work before deeper testing.

Testing a system under extreme load to find its breaking point.

Measuring responsiveness and stability under expected workloads.

Support provided after delivery to fix issues during a defined warranty period.

Protecting project communications from unauthorized access and ensuring they are accurate.

Formal is documented and structured (reports); informal is casual (chats, emails).

Written leaves a record; verbal is faster and better for nuance and rapport.

Acquisition, maintenance, and decommissioning of resources over a project.

Shared resources serve multiple projects; dedicated ones work on a single project.

Internal resources come from within the organization; external are contracted from outside.

A program manager oversees related projects; a project manager runs a single project.

Verifies deliverables meet quality and requirements through testing.

The phases a project moves through: discovery, initiation, planning, execution, and closing.

Early work to justify a project: business case, ROI analysis, and current-vs-future state.

A justification document showing why a project should be undertaken, including expected benefits.

A measure of a project's financial benefit relative to its cost, used to justify the project.

Capital expenditure is a one-time investment in assets; operating expenditure is ongoing operational cost.

The phase where the project is formally authorized via the charter and stakeholders are identified.

The document that authorizes the project and gives the PM authority to use resources.

Finding everyone who affects or is affected by the project, done during initiation.

A grid mapping roles to tasks; RACI is the most common form.

A matrix labeling roles as Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, or Informed for each task.

The person who performs the work for a task.

The single person who owns the outcome of a task; there is exactly one per task.

People whose input is sought before a task is done (two-way communication).

People kept up to date on progress or decisions (one-way communication).

The phase that produces the WBS, scope statement, schedule, budget, and management plans.

A document precisely defining what is and is not included in the project.

A hierarchical decomposition of total project scope into manageable deliverables and work packages.

The lowest level of the WBS, small enough to estimate cost and duration reliably.

A document defining what information is shared, with whom, how, and how often.

The integrated plan covering baselines, milestones, and how the project is executed and controlled.

The smallest usable version of a product that delivers value and enables feedback.

The phase where the work is performed to produce deliverables according to the plan.

Managing the people side of change: training, adoption, communication, and reinforcement.

Overseeing suppliers: rules of engagement, monitoring performance, and approving deliverables.

A checkpoint between phases where stakeholders decide whether to proceed, hold, or cancel.

A periodic summary of project progress, issues, risks, and upcoming work.

The phase that validates deliverables, gets sign-off, releases resources, and archives documents.

Confirming that completed deliverables meet the agreed requirements before acceptance.

Formal acceptance by the customer or sponsor that the project is complete.

Documented insights captured (often at closure) so future projects can improve.

A final document summarizing project outcomes, performance, and lessons learned.

Reassigning team members and equipment back to the organization at project close.

Comparing actual spending to the budget at closure to settle accounts.

A plan for how project documentation is stored, accessed, and retained.

A plan covering operational training, go-live, and handoff to operations.

Predictive plans fully up front (Waterfall); adaptive plans iteratively (Agile).

Defining how the project will meet requirements, often during initiation or early planning.

The point at which a product or system becomes available for operational use.

Transferring a completed deliverable to the team that will operate and support it.

Early discovery work, such as feasibility, ROI, and current-vs-future state, before formal initiation.

An assessment of whether a proposed project is practical and worthwhile.

Documenting how things work now versus the desired end state the project will achieve.

Agreements (client SOW or TOR) already in place that shape the project.

A client identified before the project starts, shaping scope and constraints.

The measurable conditions that define whether the project succeeded; defined in the charter.

A high-level scope defined in the charter, refined into the detailed scope in planning.

Defining who needs access to what systems and data, established during initiation.

Allocating team members to roles and providing the training they need, done in planning.

The regular schedule of project meetings, defined in the communication plan.

Estimating and planning project costs, including reserves, during planning.

A plan defining the quality standards and how they will be verified.

Identifying and analyzing risks early in planning to feed the risk register.

Performing work as defined by the project management plan during execution.

Helping users embrace a change through training, communication, and reinforcement.

Agreed expectations governing how the project and vendors interact.

Reviewing and accepting vendor or team deliverables against requirements during execution.

Monitoring progress and communicating status during execution (touch points, risk reports, gap analysis).

Comparing actual progress to the plan to identify shortfalls during execution.

Revising cost and schedule forecasts as the project progresses.

Assessing whether the project met its objectives and success criteria at closure.

Formally completing and settling all procurement agreements at closure.

Revoking team and vendor access to systems and data when the project ends.

Storing project records in an accessible repository for future reference.

Gathering input at closure to improve future projects.

A meeting to formally conclude the project and review outcomes.

A distinct stage of the project life cycle with its own deliverables and gate.

A unique, verifiable product, result, or capability produced by the project.

A horizontal bar chart showing tasks against a timeline, with durations, dependencies, and milestones.

Program Evaluation and Review Technique — estimates task duration using optimistic, pessimistic, and most-likely values.

A diagram of project activities and their dependencies, used to find the critical path.

A simplified schedule view showing only key milestones and their dates.

Shows work remaining in a sprint or release over time against an ideal line.

Shows work completed and total scope over time, making scope changes visible.

A diagram showing the project's roles and reporting relationships.

The central document recording risks with probability, impact, owner, response, and status.

A hierarchical organization of project risks by category.

A document tracking issues, their severity, owners, and resolution status.

A record of all change requests and their decisions.

A document tracking identified defects and their resolution.

A visual, at-a-glance summary of key project metrics and status.

A system that tracks and manages changes to documents, code, or other artifacts.

A grid linking each requirement to its source, deliverables, and tests to ensure coverage.

A visual board showing work items moving through stages (To Do, In Progress, Done).

A bar chart showing the frequency distribution of data.

A bar chart ordering causes by frequency, illustrating the 80/20 principle (vital few).

A line chart showing a process metric over time to reveal trends.

A chart plotting two variables to reveal a possible relationship between them.

A cause-and-effect diagram used to identify the root causes of a problem.

A chart showing whether a process stays within statistical control limits over time.

A diagram mapping decisions and their possible outcomes, costs, and probabilities.

A quantitative technique running many random scenarios to model project uncertainty.

A method comparing planned, earned, and actual values to assess cost and schedule performance.

A bar chart showing resource usage over time to spot over- or under-allocation.

A formal periodic report on progress, performance, risks, and issues.

Software that records the hours team members spend on tasks.

Software for real-time co-editing, file sharing, workflow, e-signature, whiteboards, and wikis.

Tools that log, track, and resolve requests or incidents.

A chart showing an Agile team's completed work per sprint over time.

Office tools for building charts, flowcharts, and diagrams to communicate information.

A precedence diagram showing activities as nodes linked by dependency arrows.

Estimating using optimistic, most-likely, and pessimistic values (the basis of PERT).

RACI is the most common form of a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM).

Common quality tools: histogram, Pareto, run chart, scatter, fishbone, control chart, and check sheet.

Software automating the routing and approval of tasks and documents.

Software for legally signing documents electronically.

A collaborative website where teams create and edit shared knowledge pages.

A digital canvas for real-time visual collaboration and brainstorming.

Software for audio and video meetings among distributed participants.

A tool to gather quick input or votes from a group.

Software for scheduling meetings and managing availability.

An office tool for budgets, trackers, and simple analysis.

Cloud tools run on a provider's servers; on-prem tools are installed locally.

A dashboard is a live visual summary; a status report is a periodic written update.

A simple form for collecting and counting data in real time.

Environmental, Social, and Governance — a framework for evaluating a project's broader impact.

The framework of rules, practices, and oversight directing how projects align with organizational goals.

Protecting project data and systems across physical, operational, and digital controls.

Multi-Factor Authentication — requiring two or more verification factors to grant access.

Labeling data by sensitivity (e.g., Public, Internal, Confidential) to apply the right controls.

Restricting access so people receive only the information required for their role.

Granting users only the minimum access needed to do their jobs.

Personally Identifiable Information — data that can identify an individual (name, SSN, address).

Protected Health Information — health-related data protected by regulations such as HIPAA.

Ensuring information is accessible only to authorized people.

Ensuring information is accurate and unaltered by unauthorized parties.

Ensuring information and systems are accessible when needed by authorized users.

Adhering to applicable laws, regulations, standards, and organizational policies.

Laws governing the handling of personal data, which vary by country, state, or industry.

Infrastructure as a Service — cloud-provided compute, storage, and networking.

Platform as a Service — a cloud environment to build, test, and deploy applications.

Software as a Service — complete applications delivered over the internet.

Anything as a Service — the umbrella term for cloud delivery models.

Enterprise Resource Planning — integrated software managing core business processes.

Customer Relationship Management — software for managing customer interactions and data.

Content Management System — software for creating and managing digital content.

Electronic Document and Records Management System — manages an organization's documents and records.

An IT design separating presentation, application logic, and data into layers.

The process governing changes to live IT infrastructure and software.

A scheduled period for performing changes or maintenance with planned downtime.

A procedure to restore a system to its prior working state if a change fails.

Verification steps confirming a deployed change works as intended.

Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery — automating the build, test, and release of software.

Production is the live environment; staging or beta is a pre-release environment for testing.

Informing affected users before a change or maintenance that may impact them.

Policies for how long data is kept and when it must be preserved for legal reasons.

How a project may affect an organization's reputation and brand, an ESG consideration.

Controls protecting facilities and devices: badges, locks, mobile device and removable media policies.

Personnel controls such as background screening and security clearances.

Controls over digital access: permissions, remote access, and multi-factor authentication.

Securing connections for off-site users, e.g., via VPN and MFA.

Virtual Private Network — an encrypted tunnel for secure remote access to internal systems.

Confidential business information that provides a competitive advantage and must be protected.

Creations of the mind (designs, code, brands) protected by law and policy.

Highly sensitive data whose disclosure could harm national security; tightly controlled.

Organizational rules governing acceptable use, access, and data handling.

Rules limiting how an organization's brand and assets may be used.

A European Union regulation governing the protection and privacy of personal data.

A US regulation protecting the privacy and security of health information (PHI).

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard — rules for securely handling cardholder data.

Compliance obligations unique to a sector, such as finance or healthcare.

The computing, networking, storage, and services that support IT systems.

A central repository of integrated data used for reporting and analysis.

Software managing accounting, budgeting, and financial transactions.

An organized collection of data managed by a database management system.

The process governing changes to software: requirements, risk, testing, approval, and release.

Cloud changes are managed by the provider; on-prem changes are managed internally.

A pre-production environment for testing before a change goes live.

Informing stakeholders of planned outages during a change window.