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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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Hammock - to - Hypothesis

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Term
Definition     Editor's Choice
 
Source
Hammock
An aggregate or summary activity. All related activities are tied as one summary activity and reported at the summary level. [D00780]

 PMK87
Summarizing activities by a single 'mock' activity. [D00781]

 CPMUSC p176-8
A hammock groups activities, milestones, or other hammocks together for reporting. Most PM software calculates the duration of a hammock from the early and late dates of the activities to which it is linked. [D00782]

 WST
PMST
Activity, joining two specified points, that span two or more activities.
Note 1: Its duration is initially unspecified and is only determined by the durations of the specified activities.
Note 2: Hammocks are usually used to collect time-dependent information, e.g. overheads. [D04582]

 APM
BS
Hammock Activity
See Hammock. [D02817]

  
An Activity that spans between two points in a network. It has no duration of its own but derives one from the time difference between the two points to which it is connected. [D03850]

 PNG
Handling
Taking responsibility for and acting to deal with a person, activity, requirement, etc. [D02818]

 RMW
Hand-Over
A process of transfer of responsibility for all or part of a project or its deliverables. Typically, this takes place at the end of a project or a major part thereof. See also Completion and Project Closeout. [D02819]

 RMW
Hand-Over Phase
The fourth phase in the generic project life cycle covers completion of the project to the satisfaction of the sponsor. It includes management of the introduction of the product or service being delivered by the project. During Hand-Over, project records together with an audit trail documentation are completed and delivered to the sponsor. This documentation will be required at the post project evaluation review. All documentation should include any operations and maintenance plans. If not to be conducted in a post-project evaluation review, there should also be a review of the original business case, i.e. a Benefits Assessment. [D03438]

 CRMP
Hand-Over Plan
Part of the transition plan component of the program definition statement which covers the transfer of project deliverables to operational services. [D03851]

 PNG
Part of the business transition plan component of the program definition statement - A plan for the take-on of project deliverables to operational services. A component of the program's design management plans. [D04989]

 KSI
Hanger
An unintended break in a network path. [D00784]

 PMK96
A break in a net work path [D00783]

 PMK87
Hanging Activity
An activity at the beginning or end of a sequence where there is no logic tie to the start or finish of the project or a subsidiary part, so that the logic "hangs". [D04990]

 040
Hard Project
A project that has a well defined physical product as its outcome as distinct from a soft project, the product of which is essentially intellectual. [D03852]

 RMW
Hardware
The physical portion of a system including the electrical, electronic, electromechanical, and mechanical components. [D04107]

 CSM
Hardware Configuration Item
A hardware component of a system, which is designated for configuration management to the integrity of the delivered product. It may exist at any level in the system hierarchy, since configuration management must be imposed down to the lowest level where item interchangeability is required. Each HWCI is to have (as appropriate) individual design reviews, individual qualification certification, individual Acceptance Reviews, and separate operator and maintenance manuals. [D00785]

 VPM p291-4
Hardware Project
A project in which the principal deliverable item is a physical product or functioning device of some sort. [D00786]

 SPM p304-9
Harmonization
The process and/or results of adjusting differences or inconsistency to bring significant aspects into agreement. [D02321]

 DSMC
Hazard
A situation with a potential to result in harm, a source of particular danger. [D06004]

 SU
An identifiable source of danger or unacceptable risk. [D04991]

 SCL
Headquarters ("HQ")
The principal office of an organization, usually housing the top management and their staff. [D04108]

 CSM
Heads Up
A warning to someone about a pending or probable future action that may affect that person or his/her program, project or activity. [D02322]

 DSMC
Heavy Construction
A catch-all term for those projects not properly classified as either building, residential, or highway (e.g., dredging, water and sewer line, dams, flood control, etc.). [D03509]

 RMW
Heuristic
A procedure used to provide solutions to decision problems but which are not guaranteed as best or optimal because they often depend on good judgment in the first place. Literally, leading toward discovery, finding out. [D02820]

 RMW
Heuristics
In the psychology of judgment and decision-making in project work, heuristics are the simplified mental strategies or rules of thumb people rely on to come up with judgments. In many cases heuristics do lead to rational solutions but they can also cause inconsistencies and predictable biases. [D06428]

 PrjDec
Hidden Agenda
Objectives of a person or group not made known to others during the course of a project that tend to subvert the stated objectives of the project, or that work contrary to them. [D06005]

 PMTWG
Hierarchical Coding Structure
A coding system that can be represented as a multi-level tree structure in which every code except those at the top of the tree has a parent code. [D00787]

 WST
Hierarchical Planning
A planning approach where each managerial level breaks planning tasks down into the activities that must be done at that level. Typically, upper-level planning establishes the objectives for the next lower-level manager's planning. [D00788]

 OTOB p271-4
Hierarchy
A ranking of items according to their logical relationships. [D02821]

 Webster
Hierarchy of Networks
Range of networks at different levels of detail, from summary down to working levels, showing the relationships between those networks. [D04442]

 APM
BS
High Level Forecasting
Techniques include trending, "S" curve modeling, moving averages, exponential smoothing etc. These are used to obtain rapid indications of current project status, especially where the processing of a large volume of data would otherwise be required. One or more leading indicators may be used such as man-hour totals, concrete placed, payments-to-date, etc. An indispensable part of an effective project manager's control information. See also Regression Analysis. [D03062]

 CCCP
Highlight Report
A report prepared by the project manager at intervals determined by the project board. It reviews progress to date and highlights any actual or potential problems which have been identified during the period it covers. [D03853]

 PNG
A highlight report reviews progress to date and highlights any actual or potential problems. The project manager prepares this report at intervals determined by the project board. [D00789]

 WST
A time-driven report from the project manager to the project board on the status of the stage's progress. [D05785]

 PRNC2 2005
Highway Construction
The construction, alteration, or repair of roads, streets, highways, runways, taxiways, alleys, parking areas, and other similar projects that are not incidental to building, residential, or heavy construction. [D03510]

 GAT
Histogram
A graph showing resource usage on the vertical axis against time on the horizontal axis. [D03854]

 PNG
A graphic display of resource usage over a period of time. It allows the detection of overused or underused resources. The resource usage is displayed in colored vertical bars. The ideal level for a resource on the screen is indicated by a another color (typically red). (The printed histogram uses a horizontal line to display the maximum usage set in the Resource Label window.) If the resource bar extends beyond the red area for any given day, resources need to be leveled (or spread out) for proper allocation. The resource histograms should be checked after resources are assigned to the project activities. [D00790]

 WST
PMST
A vertical bar chart showing (usually) resource allocation levels over time in a project. [D03718]

 PPS&C p340
Historic Records
Project documentation that can be used to predict trends, analyze feasibility and highlight problem areas/pitfalls on future similar projects. [D00791]

 PMK87
Historical Data Banks
The data stored for future reference and referred to on a periodic basis to indicate trends, total costs, unit costs and technical relationships, etc. Different applications require different data base information. This data can be used to assist in the development of future estimates. [D00792]

 PMK87
Historical Database
Records accumulating past project experience stored as data for use in estimating, forecasting and predicting future events. [D00793]

 RMH
Historical Information
See Historical Database. [D05656]

  
Hold Point
A defined step during processing when work must stop so that authorized inspection can be conducted and the work approved and released for further progress. [D04992]

 RMW
Holdback or Retention
A sum of money withheld from a construction contractor’s payment according to the terms of its contract, and/or statutory obligation to ensure protection against valid third party claims. [D00794]

 CCCP
Holiday
An otherwise valid working day that has been designated as exempt. [D04443]

 APM
Holistic
A description of the whole body wherein the summation becomes much more than the sum of its parts or elements. [D04326]

 MEMOPT
Home Office
Office of a company in the country of origin. Usually synonymous with Head Office. [D00795]

 NPMT
Home Office Overhead
Expenses incurred by a contractor in support of all projects which cannot be directly allocated to any specific project. Examples include executive salaries and benefits, home office rent, legal and accounting staff, and personnel costs. [D04993]

 PDG
Horizon Scanning
The process for becoming aware of changes in the medium to long-term future that could have an impact on the effective and efficient conduct of one or more projects. [D05786]

 RMW
Host Organization
Organization that provides the administrative and logistical support for the project. [D04444]

 APM
BS
HQ
See Headquarters

  
HR Compensation and Evaluation
The measurement of an individual's performance and financial payment provided to employees as a reward for their performance and as a motivator for future performance. [D00796]

 PMK87
HR Organization Development
The use of behavioral science technology, research, and theory, to change an organization's culture to meet predetermined objectives involving participation, joint decision making, and team building. [D00797]

 PMK87
HR Performance Evaluation
The formal system by which managers evaluate and rate the quality of subordinates' performance over a given period of time. [D00798]

 PMK87
HR Records Management
The procedures established by the organization to manage all documentation required for the effective development and application of its work force. [D00799]

 PMK87
HRM
See Human Resources Management

  
HTML
See Hyper Text Markup Language

  
HTTP
See Hyper Text Transport Protocol

  
Hub System
An organizational arrangement in which the hub consists of a committee of senior representatives from the component satellite organizations. [D05787]

 085 p76
Human Resources
A fancy name for people power. [D02822]

 RMW
Human Resources Management ("HRM")
The function of directing and coordinating human resources throughout the life of the project by applying the art and science of behavioral and administrative knowledge to achieve predetermined project objectives of scope, cost, time, quality and participant satisfaction. [D00800]

 PMK87
Human Resources Management Plan
The documented and agreed policies, procedures and guidelines for acquiring, leading and directing the project's teams. A part of the Project Management Plan. [D05657]

 RMW
Human Resources Plan
A document describing the staffing arrangements for a portfolio, program or project, including roles, responsibilities and reporting relationships. [D06348]

 RMW
Human Resources Responsibility
Those responsible for human resources, typically a dedicated specialist department within the home organization. [D02823]

 RMW
Human Skills
The ability to interact productively and effectively with others towards the achievement of shared tasks and objectives. [D06429]

 Costin
Hurdle Rate of Return
The minimum internal rate of return acceptable to the sponsor of a particular project. [D04994]

 RAMP
Hygiene
Factors associated with the health and well-being of personnel. In project management, these factors more particularly refer to those elements such as pay and working conditions that tend to motivate or demotivate project team members. [D02824]

 RMW
Hyper Text Markup Language ("HTML")
The basic language that is used to build hypertext documents on the World Wide Web. It is used in basic, plain ASCII-text documents, but when those documents are interpreted (called rendering) by a Web browser such as Netscape, the document can display formatted text, color, a variety of fonts, graphic images, special effects, hypertext jumps to other Internet locations, and information forms. [D04840]

 RUP
Hyper Text Transport Protocol ("HTTP")
A protocol for calling up a specific address (URL) on the Internet. [D04841]

 RUP
Hypercritical
A condition when an imposed date has been set such that the critical path leading to that point is too long to finish by that date. The critical path then becomes hypercritical and possesses negative float. [D03855]

 RMW
Hypercritical Activities
Activities on the critical path with negative float. This can be achieved through the imposition of constraints such as target dates. [D00801]

 WST
Hyperlinks
Areas on a Web page that, when clicked, connect you to other areas on the page or other Web pages. [D04839]

 RUP
Hypothesis
A supposition, perhaps one that is not fully understood, that is not proved but assumed for purposes of argument. [D02825]

 Webster
Definitions for page H00: 74


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