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Wideman Comparative Wideman Comparative Glossary of Common Project Management Terms v5.5 is copyright © R. Max Wideman, 2000-2012.

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Crashing - to - Critical Sequence

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Term
Definition     Editor's Choice
 
Source
Crashing
Action to decrease the duration of an activity or project by increasing the expenditure of resources. [D00437]

 PMK87
In project planning, an activity can be conducted at a normal pace or at an accelerated pace, known as 'crashing' the activity of the project. Crashing is completed at a greater cost than a normal-paced project. [D00435]

 OTOB p271-4
Taking action to decrease the total project duration by analyzing a number of alternatives to determine how to get the maximum duration compression for the least cost. [D00436]

 PMK96
The process of reducing the time it takes to complete an activity by adding resources. [D00438]

 WST
Creativity
The ability to bring new perspectives, new ideas and new solutions to a situation. This capability is frequently enhanced by group work such as brain storming. [D02588]

 RMW
The plan for implementing multiple corporate initiatives that typically occur over many years, in conformity with the selected mission and vision of the corporation. [D06394]

 Costin
In project management, the ability to find alternative ways to perform a project that have at least three attributes:
  1. New, at least for the current project
  2. Feasible, and
  3. Useful
[D06395]

 PrjDec
Credit
Deferred payment for goods and/or services purchased. Also, recognition of above average performance. [D02589]

 RMW
Credited Resource
Resource that is created by an activity or event and can then be used by the project. [D04419]

 APM
BS
Crisis
An adverse situation in which urgent decisions are required to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. [D02590]

 RMW
Criteria
A statement that provides objectives, guidelines. procedures, and standards that are to be used to execute the development, design, and/or implementation portions of a project. [D00439]

 PMK87
Criterion
A standard by which a correct judgment may be made. See plural, Criteria. [D02591]

 RMW
Critical
An activity or event that, if delayed, will delay some other important event, commonly the completion of a project or a major milestone in a project. [D00440]

 OTOB 271-4
Critical Activity
Any activity on a critical path.
Editor's Note: Any activity viewed as requiring special attention, i.e. particularly effective or efficient execution because of high risk to scope, cost or time, should be included on the "critical" list for the project to be successful. [D00444]

 PMK87
An activity or work item that, if not completed by the indicated time allowed, will increase the total project duration by the corresponding extent of the delay in completion of that activity or work item. (I.e. activities or work items with zero float). [D00441]

 CCCP
An activity is termed critical when it has zero or negative float. [D00443]

 WST
Any activity on a critical path. Most commonly determined by using the critical path method.
Editor's Note: Although some activities are 'critical' in the dictionary sense without being on the critical path, this distinction is seldom made in the project environment. [D00445]

 PMK96
An activity that has zero or negative float. This activity has no allowance for work slippage. It must be finished on time or the whole project will fall behind schedule. (Non-critical activities have float or slack time and are not on the critical path. Super-critical activities have negative float.) [D02247]

 PMST
Critical Chain
The longest chain of dependent events, where the dependencies are either task or resource related. According to proponents, a methodology for planning and managing projects for greatly increased project flow and significantly reduced cycle time per project. [D05771]

 088
That set of tasks which determines the overall duration of a project, after taking resource capacity into account. It is typically regarded as the constraint or leverage point of a project. See also Theory of Constraints. [D04522]

 034
Critical Chain Method ("CCM")
A schedule analysis technique that manages uncertainty by (a) using average task duration estimates; (b) scheduling backwards from the date a project is needed (to ensure that work that needs to be done is done, and is done only when needed); (c) placing aggregate buffers in the project plan to protect the entire project and the key tasks; and (d) using buffer management to control the plan. The key tasks are those on which the ultimate duration of the project depends, also known as the Critical Chain. An outgrowth of the Theory of constraints. [D05629]

 072
Critical Defect
A defect that judgment and experience indicate is likely to result in hazardous or unsafe conditions for individuals using, maintaining, or depending upon the product; or a defect that judgment and experience indicate is likely to prevent performance of the tactical function of a major end item such as an aircraft, communication system, land vehicle, missile, ship, space vehicle, surveillance system, or major part thereof. [D00446]

 MIL-STD 105
QMPP
Critical Defective
A unit of product that contains one or more critical defects and may also contain major or minor defects. [D00447]

 MIL-STD 105
QMPP
Critical Design Review
A series of control gates to approve the build-to and code-to documentation, associated draft verification procedures, and readiness and capability of fabricators and coders to carry out the implementation. All hardware, software, support equipment, and tooling should be reviewed in ascending order of unit to system. More appropriately called Production Guarantee Review. [D04059]

 CSM
A series of control gates at which the Buyer reviews and approves the seller's Build-to baseline as evidenced by detailed Build-to documentation and approves proceeding with fabrication and coding. All hardware, software, handling equipment, test equipment, and tooling should be reviewed in the ascending order of assembly to system. [D00448]

 VPM p291-4
In the waterfall model life cycle, the major review held when the detailed design is completed. [D04816]

 RUP
Critical Event
A happening that may serve to change the course of a project. [D02592]

 RMW
Critical Factors
Favorable or adverse conditions that may exist or be expected that may significantly impact the course of a project. See also Critical Success Factors. [D02593]

 RMW
Critical Path
In a network diagram, the longest path from start to finish or the path without any slack, and thus the path corresponding to the shortest time in which the project can be completed. [D00449]

 SPM p304-9
In a project network diagram, the path with the longest duration. The critical path may change from time to time as activities are completed ahead of or behind schedule. See critical path method. [D00450]

 PMK96
The line of project activities having the least float, especially when float is close to, or below zero. [D00451]

 NPMT
The route through the network that has only critical activities. [D00452]

 CCCP
The series of consecutive activities that represent the longest path through the project. [D00453]

 WST
The series of interdependent activities of a project connected end-to-end, which determines the shortest total length of the project. The critical path of a project may change from time to time as activities are completed ahead of or behind schedule. [D00454]

 PMK87
The series of tasks that must finish on time for the entire project to finish on schedule. Each task on the critical path is a critical task. [D00455]

 MSP98
The series of activities that define the total project duration [D02232]

 013 Feb'99
The path (sequence) of activities which represent the longest total time required to complete the project. A delay in any activity in the critical path causes a delay in the completion of the project. There may be more than one critical path depending on durations and work flow logic.
Editor's Note: There may also be other near critical paths, especially if relative risks are taken into account. [D02249]

 PMST
The sequence of activities that must be completed on schedule for the entire project to be completed on schedule. It is the longest duration path through the work plan. If an activity on the critical path is delayed by one day, the entire project will be delayed by one day (unless another activity on the critical path can be accelerated by one day). [D04956]

 TM
The line connecting the start of a planning network with the final activity in that network through those activities with the smallest float. Often this is a line through the network connecting those activities with a zero float, i.e. those activities where any delay will delay the time of the entire network [D05308]

 PRNC2 2002
Critical Path Analysis
Procedure for calculating the critical path and floats in a network. [D04421]

 APM
BS
Critical Path Method
An activity oriented time control technique used for planning complex projects. Used mostly but not necessarily in the implementation phase. It requires breaking down the project into activities, arranging them into a logical sequence, estimating the duration of each and so arrive at that series of activities that determines the minimum possible duration of the project. These are the critical path activities. See also Arrow Diagramming and Precedence Diagramming. [D03055]

 CCCP
A scheduling technique using precedence diagrams for graphic display of the work plan. The method used to determine the length of a project and to identify the activities that are critical to the completion of the project. [D00457]

 PMK87
A technique used to predict project duration by analyzing which sequence of activities has the least amount of scheduling flexibility. Early dates are figured by a forward pass using a specific start date and late dates are figured by using a backward pass starting from a completion date. [D00458]

 WST
A type of network diagram in which the activities are labeled on the arrows. [D00459]

 SPM p304-9
A network analysis technique used to predict project duration by analyzing which sequence of activities (which path) has the least amount of scheduling flexibility (the least amount of float). Early dates are calculated by means of a forward pass using a specified start date. Late dates are calculated by means of a backward pass starting from a specified completion date (usually the forward pass's calculated project early finish date). [D00456]

 PMK96
Critical Path Network ("CPN")
A plan for the execution of a project which consists of activities and their logical relationships to one another. [D00460]

 PMK87
Critical Performance Indicator
A critical factor against which aspects of project performance may be assessed. [D04422]

 APM
Critical Ratio
A ratio that measures an important characteristic. This ratio is often plotted or tracked in some way to determine priorities among items or events. [D00461]

 OTOB p271-4
Critical Risk
A risk that can jeopardize achievement of a project's cost, time, or performance objectives. [D05958]

 PMTWG
Critical Sequence
A sequence of activities having zero float after resource limits are taken into account in calculating float. [D03825]

 PNG
Definitions for page C15: 50


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