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Conception Phase - to - Configuration Management

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Conception Phase

The phase that triggers and captures new ideas or opportunities and identifies potential candidates for further development in the feasibility phase. [D04406]

Conceptual

See Concept. [D02505]

Conceptual Budgeting

Budgeting based on an Order of Magnitude Estimate. [D02506]

Conceptual Design

An early stage in the life of a project that should result in the preparation of a document containing a functional program, sketches and outline drawings, a concept estimate and a set of design standards. [D00269]

Conceptual Development

A cognitive exercise leading from the project vision through the identification of real needs into a mission-oriented physical reality which has a technology with a satisfactory probability of achievement. [D04323]

A process of choosing/documenting the best approach to achieve project objectives. [D00270]

Conceptual Project Planning

The process of developing broad-scope project documentation from which the technical requirements, estimates, schedules, control procedures and effective project management will all flow. [D00271]

Concession

Written authorization to use or release a quantity of material, components or stores already produced but which do not conform to the specified requirements. Also Waiver [D00272]

Concession Making, in negotiating

A negotiating strategy that provides less benefit to you and more benefit to the other side. [D02730]

Conciliatory

Willing to compromise to bring to a satisfactory or friendly conclusion. [D02507]

Concluding

The last part, or bringing to an end, arriving at a conclusion or final judgment. [D02508]

Conclusions

The logical results, typically of a discussion, meeting, or negotiations. [D02509]

Concurrency

The degree to which Phases, Stages, or Activities may be overlapped. [D02287]

Concurrent

Happening at the same time such as activities carried out in parallel. [D02510]

Concurrent Delays

Two or more delays that take place or overlap during the same period, either of which occurring alone would have affected the ultimate completion date. In practice it can be difficult to apportion damages when the concurrent delays are due to the owner and contractor respectively. See also Excusable Delays Excusable Compensable Delays; Excusable Non-compensable Delays; and Non-Excusable Delays. [D03424]

Concurrent Engineering

The development of new products with the use of multi-functional teams who work in unison from the initial concept until completion of the product. This process is sometimes called multi-functional or integrated product development teams. [D04618]

A systematic approach to the simultaneous, integrated design of products and their related processes, such as manufacturing, testing and supporting. [D00274]

A systematic approach to the integrated, concurrent design of products and their related processes, including manufacture and support. This approach is intended to cause the developers, from the outset, to consider all elements of the product life cycle from conception through disposal, including cost, quality, schedule, and user requirements. It is characterized by focus on the customer's requirements and priorities, a conviction that quality is the result of improving a process, and a philosophy that improvement of the processes of design, production, and support is a never ending responsibility of the entire enterprise. [D03734]

Concurrent Tasks

Tasks in a project that can be worked on at the same time. [D00275]

Conditional Risk

Risk that occurs under certain conditions or is accepted provided that certain conditions are met. [D02511]

Conditions

The existence of, or setting of, certain requirements before agreement can be reached or work can begin, etc. [D02512]

Conducting

The carrying out of such things as audits, inquiries, reviews, etc. [D02513]

Confidence Level

A level of confidence, stated as a percentage, for a budget or schedule estimate. The higher the confidence level, the lower the risk. [D00276]

Configuration

A collection of an item's descriptive and governing characteristics, which can be expressed:

1. In functional terms, i.e. what performance the item is expected to achieve, and
2. In physical terms, i.e. what the item should look like and consist of when it is completed

[D02288]

The technical description needed to build, test, accept, operate install, maintain and support a system. [D00277]

A collection of items with descriptive and governing characteristics. [D02514]

The complete technical description required to build, test, accept, install, operate, maintain and support a System. [D03813]

Functional and physical characteristics of a product as defined in technical documents and achieved in the product.
Note: In a project this should contain all items that can be identified as being relevant to the project and that should only be modified after authorization by the relevant manager. [D04574]

Either

1. In general, the arrangement of a system or network as defined by the nature, number, and chief characteristics of its functional units. Applies to both hardware or software configuration, or
2. The requirements, design and implementation that defines a particular version of a system or system component. See also Configuration Management.

[D04813]

Configuration Audit

A check to ensure that all deliverable items on a project conform with one another and to the current specification. It ensures that relevant quality assurance procedures have been implemented and that there is consistency throughout project documentation. [D04407]

Configuration Breakdown

The separation of configuration items into logical groupings. [D02515]

Configuration Control

The systematic evaluation, coordination, and approval or disapproval of all changes subsequent to establishing the baseline configuration. [D02517]

A system of procedures that monitors emerging project scope against the scope baseline. Requires documentation and management approval on any change to the baseline. [D00279]

The management of engineering change. [D04949]

Configuration Control Board

A board established to approve all proposed changes to an approved baseline. [D04036]

Configuration Identification

Identifies uniquely all items within the configuration. [D04408]

Configuration Item ("CI")

A hardware, software, or composite item at any level in the system hierarchy designated for configuration management. Configuration Items have four common characteristics:

1. Defined functionality
2. Replaceable as an entity
3. Unique specification
4. Formal control of form, fit and functionality.

Each CI should have an identified manager and may have CI-unique design reviews, qualification certification, acceptance reviews, and operator and maintenance manuals. [D04037]

A component of a configuration that has a defined function and is designated for configuration management. [D03814]

An entity in a configuration that satisfies an end-use function and can be uniquely identified at a given reference point. (ISO) [D04814]

Configuration Item Acceptance Review

The acceptance of a CI by the system integrator that authorizes the CI to be integrated into the system for further verification testing and system acceptance. [D04038]

Configuration Item Verification

Proving compliance with the CI "Design-to" specification using test, demonstration, analysis, and inspection. [D04039]

Configuration Item Verification Procedures

Detailed step-by-step instructions for the setup, operation, and evaluation of tests, inspections, demonstration, or analysis to be used for CI verification. [D04040]

Configuration Management

Technical and administrative activities concerned with the creation, maintenance and controlled change of configuration throughout the life of the product.
Note: See BS EN ISO 10007 for guidance on configuration management, including specialist terminology. [D04575]

A management discipline that applies technical and administrative direction to the development, production and support life cycle of a configuration item. This discipline is applicable to hardware, software, processed materials, services and related technical documentation. CM is an integral part of life-cycle management. [D00280]

Management of the methods used to control the software and hardware being developed; often used interchangeably with change control. [D00281]

The process to:

• Define the evolving baselines of the project
• Control changes to the approved baselines
• Record and communicate the change and change status

[D04041]

The process of defining the configuration items in a system, controlling the release and change of those items throughout the project, recording and reporting the status of configuration items, and verifying the completeness of configuration items. [D00282]

A procedure for applying technical and administrative direction and supervision to:

1. Identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of an item or system
2. Control any changes to such characteristics
3. Record and report the change, process, and implementation status
4. Audit the items and system to verify conformance to contractual requirements

The CM process must be carefully tailored to the capacity, size, scope, nature and complexity of the system involved, and its phase in the project life cycle. [D02289]

The process of designing, making and assembling the components of a project's deliverable in order to achieve the required functionality. [D02622]

The process of ensuring that the project delivers everything it is supposed to, i.e. physical products and assets, quality products, documentation, deliverables etc, such that there is complete assurance on delivery integrity. It is particularly concerned with managing the status of pending and approved changes to the project deliverables and with managing the information that define the configuration status. It is closely related to Change Control. [D03429]

A supporting process whose purpose is to identify, define, and baseline items; control modifications and releases of these items; report and record status of the items and modification requests; ensure completeness, consistency and correctness of the items; and control storage, handling and delivery of the items. (ISO) [D04708]