BS key terms

The sequence of stages a product, service or initiative passes through from first concept to retirement, used to organise work and decide which activities belong at each stage.

The system of decision rights, roles and accountability that determines who approves what, how disagreements are settled, and how performance is overseen.

The measurable change in behaviour, capability or performance that results from using an output, as distinct from the deliverable itself.

The agreed boundary of what an initiative will and will not cover, including the products, processes and groups it affects.

A tangible or intangible output produced and handed over as a defined result of work, such as a report, a system or a trained team.

A documented statement of a need or expectation that a solution must satisfy, expressed clearly enough to be verified once the work is complete.

A defined set of principles, rules and procedures that guides how work is planned and carried out, giving teams a repeatable way to approach similar problems.

A structured set of categories or components that helps people think about a problem consistently, without prescribing exactly which steps must be followed.

A structured justification for an investment that sets out expected benefits, costs, risks and options, and is used to obtain approval and funding.

Something treated as true for planning purposes without firm proof; if it proves false, plans, estimates and commitments may need to change.

A limit that restricts what a team can do, such as a fixed budget, a deadline, a regulation or available skills, and that shapes the solution.

A comparison of the current state with a desired future state that identifies what is missing or different and helps prioritise the work required.

A goal written to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound, so that progress and success can be judged objectively.

A technique that compares the expected costs of an option with its expected benefits, often expressed in money, to support a choice between alternatives.

A significant point in time marking completion of a major stage or achievement, used to track progress; it normally has no duration of its own.

The longest sequence of dependent tasks through a plan, which sets the shortest possible overall duration and shows where delay would hit the deadline.

A formal process for requesting, assessing and approving or rejecting changes to an agreed baseline, so that modifications are recorded and authorised.

Planned activities that examine the way work is being done, aiming to prevent defects by confirming that processes meet agreed standards.

An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, affects objectives; usually described by how likely it is and how severe its impact would be.

A living log listing identified risks with their owners, ratings, planned responses and current status, used to track and review exposure.

An action taken to reduce the likelihood or impact of a risk, or to transfer or avoid it, before it affects objectives.

Meeting the laws, regulations, standards and internal policies that apply to the organisation's activities, and being able to show that you do.

Principles about right and wrong conduct that guide decisions where the law is silent or where competing interests must be weighed.

The duty to protect information from unauthorised access or disclosure, sharing it only with people who have a legitimate need to know.

Splitting key tasks so that no single person controls a transaction from start to finish, reducing the chance that error or fraud goes unnoticed.

A visual diagram showing the steps, decisions, inputs and handoffs in a process, used to find waste, delays and unclear responsibilities.

A structured method for tracing a problem back to the underlying reason it happened, rather than treating only its visible symptoms.

Comparing your performance, processes or practices with recognised standards or comparable organisations to identify gaps and improvement opportunities.

A simple structured review of internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats, used to frame strategy and set priorities.

The degree to which data is accurate, complete, timely, consistent and fit for the decision it is meant to support.

Any person or group who affects, is affected by, or has an interest in an initiative and can influence its outcome.

A chart assigning each task or decision four roles - responsible, accountable, consulted and informed - so everyone knows their part and duplication is avoided.

The act of raising an issue, decision or risk to someone with more authority when it cannot be resolved at the current level.

A document setting out which stakeholders matter, what they need, and how, when and by whom they will be informed and involved.

An approved, frozen version of scope, schedule or cost against which actual performance is measured and proposed changes are judged.

A small set of measures chosen to show how well objectives are being met, each with a target, a data source and an owner.

Insights captured during or after work about what went well and what did not, recorded so future teams can repeat successes and avoid repeating mistakes.

An ongoing effort to make incremental gains in quality and efficiency by measuring results, finding underlying causes and adjusting how work is done.

The process of tracking whether the benefits promised in a business case actually appear after delivery, and acting when they do not.