CAPES key terms

A hierarchical decomposition of the total project scope into progressively smaller, deliverable-oriented components. Each descending level represents increasingly detailed definition of the work, ending at work packages that can be estimated, scheduled, and controlled.

The lowest level of the WBS, a discrete scope element that can be realistically estimated, scheduled, assigned to a responsible person, and measured for progress. It is the basis for defining activities and control accounts.

A distinct, identifiable unit of work performed during the project that consumes time and usually resources. Activities have defined start and finish points and form the building blocks of the schedule network.

A management control point in a work breakdown structure where scope, schedule, and cost are integrated and compared against earned value. It sits above work packages and is assigned to a single accountable manager.

A network diagramming method where each activity is drawn as a node or box, and arrows represent the logical relationships between activities. It is the basis for most modern scheduling software and the precedence diagramming method.

A scheduling technique that uses nodes to represent activities and arrows to show dependencies. It supports four relationship types: finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish, and start-to-finish, and is the dominant method in critical path scheduling.

A logical relationship in which the successor activity cannot start until the predecessor activity has finished. It is the most common dependency type in construction and engineering schedules and carries the least ambiguity.

A logical relationship in which the successor activity cannot begin until the predecessor activity has begun. It is typically paired with a lag to express overlapping work, such as starting inspection a set time after installation starts.

A logical relationship in which the successor activity cannot finish until the predecessor activity has finished. It is used where completion of one work item governs completion of another, often with a lag to allow trailing work.

A deliberate, quantified delay inserted between a predecessor and successor activity to reflect real-world constraints such as curing time, approval periods, or delivery lead time. Lag is not the same as float and is not consumption of slack.

A negative lag that allows a successor activity to begin before the predecessor has completed its required portion. Excessive use of lead can obscure logic and is often flagged in schedule quality reviews.

A deterministic scheduling technique that calculates the longest path through the network, which determines the shortest possible project duration. Activities on that path have zero or minimal total float and drive the project completion date.

The sequence of logically connected activities with the longest total duration through the network, which establishes the project finish date. Any delay on this path delays project completion unless the path is compressed or logic changes.

The amount of time an activity can be delayed from its early start without delaying the project finish date or violating a schedule constraint. It is calculated as late start minus early start, or late finish minus early finish.

The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start of any immediate successor activity. Unlike total float, free float is a property of the relationship to successors rather than the whole project.

A network calculation that moves from project start to finish to determine each activity's early start and early finish dates, based on durations and logic. Its results define the earliest possible project completion.

A network calculation that moves from project finish to start to determine each activity's late finish and late start dates. Combined with forward pass results, it yields total float and identifies the critical path.

A path through the network whose total float is small but greater than zero, often within a defined threshold of the critical path. Monitoring near-critical paths helps anticipate emerging risks before they affect completion.

A scheduling technique that adjusts activity start and finish dates to resolve resource over-allocation or to smooth resource demand, often extending the project duration. It changes logic or dates rather than just shifting non-critical work within float.

A technique that shifts activities within their available float to reduce peaks and valleys in resource demand without changing the project completion date or the critical path. It cannot resolve a genuine resource shortage.

A bar chart showing the quantity of a resource required per time period across the project. It is used to identify over-allocation, peak demand, and the effect of leveling or smoothing decisions.

A schedule in which activity timing is limited by the availability of resources rather than by logic alone. It typically results from resource leveling and may have a later completion date than the logic-driven schedule.

The assignment of planned cost values to schedule activities or work packages so that cost and time can be tracked together. It enables time-phased budgets, cash flow forecasting, and earned value measurement.

A distribution of the approved project budget across the schedule timeline, showing planned expenditure per period. It is the baseline against which earned value and actual costs are compared over time.

A performance measurement method that integrates scope, schedule, and cost by comparing planned value, earned value, and actual cost. It produces variance and index metrics that indicate cost and schedule performance and forecast outcomes.

The authorized budget assigned to scheduled work for a given period, sometimes called budgeted cost of work scheduled. It represents what the project planned to have accomplished and spent by a point in time.

The value of work actually completed, measured as the budgeted cost of work performed. It converts physical progress into budget terms so that accomplishment can be compared with plan and actual cost.

A ratio of earned value to planned value that indicates schedule efficiency. A value below one means less work was accomplished than planned; the index is often used to forecast schedule outcomes.

The difference between earned value and planned value, expressed in cost or work units rather than time. A negative value indicates work is behind plan; it must be interpreted carefully because it is not a duration measure.

A forecast of the total cost of the project based on performance to date and expected future conditions. It can be calculated several ways, including budget divided by cost performance index or actual cost plus a bottom-up estimate to complete.

A measure of work accomplished expressed as a proportion of the total. It can be based on duration, cost, units installed, or milestone weighting, and the chosen method must be documented and applied consistently.

A graph of cumulative cost, progress, or resource usage over time, typically S-shaped because expenditure and accomplishment start slowly, accelerate, then taper. It is used to compare planned, earned, and actual performance visually.

A quantitative or qualitative assessment of uncertainty in activity durations and logic to estimate the probability of meeting schedule targets. It often uses Monte Carlo simulation to produce confidence levels for completion dates.

A probabilistic technique that runs many iterations of the schedule using sampled duration and cost ranges to produce a distribution of possible completion dates or costs. It supports confidence-based contingency setting.

Time or money reserved to address known risks and uncertainties that remain after planning. Schedule contingency is often expressed as a buffer on the critical path or as a confidence-based allowance beyond the deterministic finish date.

An amount of time or budget held by senior management for unanticipated work within the project scope but outside the performance measurement baseline. It is not allocated to activities unless formally authorized through change control.

The approved, time-phased plan against which project performance is measured, formed by the scope, schedule, and cost baselines. Changes to it require formal change control and are documented as baseline revisions.

An approved, frozen version of the schedule, cost, or scope plan used to compare actual performance and to control change. The schedule baseline is the reference for measuring variance and for approving revisions.

A formal process for identifying, evaluating, approving or rejecting, and documenting changes to the baseline. It ensures that modifications are justified, authorized, and reflected consistently in scope, schedule, and cost.

A structured review of a schedule against defined criteria such as logic density, missing predecessors or successors, excessive lags, hard constraints, and negative float. It reveals defects that undermine the schedule's reliability for forecasting.

The process of confirming that a schedule is complete, logically sound, resource- and cost-loaded as required, and consistent with the project plan. It differs from quality checking by focusing on fitness for the intended use.

A documented record of the assumptions, constraints, calendars, logic, and estimating methods used to build the schedule. It allows reviewers to understand and validate the schedule and supports later change control.

The examination of schedule or cost performance over successive reporting periods to identify patterns and forecast likely outcomes. It can reveal deteriorating performance earlier than a single-period variance analysis.