Project Management in Land Development
Expert-defined terms from the Professional Certificate in Land Development course at LearnUNI. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
Acceptance Criteria #
The specific conditions that a project deliverable must meet in order to be accepted by the customer or end-user. Related terms: Deliverable, Project Scope.
Agile Development #
An iterative and incremental approach to project development that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. Related terms: Scrum, Kanban.
Baseline #
A fixed point of reference that is used to measure progress and performance throughout a project. Related terms: Project Plan, Change Management.
Benchmarking #
The process of comparing a project's performance against industry standards or best practices in order to identify areas for improvement. Related terms: Performance Measurement, Continuous Improvement.
Bidder Conferences #
Meetings held between the project owner and potential bidders to clarify project requirements, answer questions, and ensure that all bidders have a clear understanding of the project scope and objectives. Related terms: Request for Proposals (RFP), Invitation for Bids (IFB).
Budget #
The estimated cost of a project, including all labor, materials, equipment, and other expenses required to complete the project. Related terms: Cost Estimate, Contingency Fund.
Change Management #
The process of managing and controlling changes to a project's scope, schedule, or budget in order to minimize the impact on project outcomes. Related terms: Change Request, Configuration Management.
Change Order #
A written document that authorizes a change to the project scope, schedule, or budget. Related terms: Change Management, Variance Analysis.
Change Request #
A formal request to modify the project scope, schedule, or budget. Related terms: Change Management, Change Order.
Closure #
The process of finalizing a project, including documenting lessons learned, transferring ownership of deliverables, and releasing project resources. Related terms: Project Closeout, Lessons Learned.
Communication Plan #
A document that outlines how project-related information will be communicated to stakeholders, including frequency, format, and method of communication. Related terms: Stakeholder Management, Risk Communication.
Conceptual Design #
The initial phase of the design process, which involves developing a broad concept or idea for the project. Related terms: Schematic Design, Design Development.
Configuration Management #
The process of tracking and controlling changes to project documents, deliverables, and configurations in order to ensure consistency and accuracy throughout the project. Related terms: Change Management, Document Control.
Contingency Fund #
A reserve of funds set aside to cover unexpected costs or expenses that may arise during the project. Related terms: Budget, Risk Management.
Contract #
A legally binding agreement between the project owner and a contractor that outlines the scope of work, payment terms, and other project-related obligations. Related terms: Request for Proposals (RFP), Invitation for Bids (IFB).
Contract Administration #
The process of managing and overseeing the execution of a contract, including monitoring contractor performance, ensuring compliance with contract terms, and resolving disputes. Related terms: Contract Management, Procurement.
Contract Closeout #
The process of finalizing a contract, including resolving any outstanding issues, documenting lessons learned, and releasing project resources. Related terms: Project Closeout, Contract Administration.
Contract Management #
The process of managing and overseeing contracts, including selecting contractors, negotiating contract terms, and administering contracts throughout the project lifecycle. Related terms: Procurement, Contract Administration.
Cost Estimate #
An educated guess or approximation of the total cost of a project, based on historical data, industry standards, and other relevant factors. Related terms: Budget, Contingency Fund.
Cost Management #
The process of planning, estimating, budgeting, and controlling costs throughout a project. Related terms: Budget, Cost Estimate.
Critical Path #
The sequence of activities in a project that determine the shortest possible duration for completing the project. Related terms: Schedule Management, Project Network Diagram.
Deliverable #
A tangible or intangible product or service that is produced or provided as part of a project. Related terms: Project Scope, Acceptance Criteria.
Design Development #
The second phase of the design process, which involves refining the conceptual design and developing detailed drawings, specifications, and other technical documents. Related terms: Conceptual Design, Construction Documents.
Design Phase #
The phase of a project during which the project design is developed and documented, including conceptual design, design development, and construction documents. Related terms: Construction Phase, Operations Phase.
Earned Value Analysis #
A project management technique that compares the value of work completed to the budgeted cost of that work, in order to measure project performance and identify potential issues. Related terms: Performance Measurement, Variance Analysis.
Estimate at Completion (EAC) #
The estimated total cost of a project at its completion, based on actual costs incurred to date and projected costs for the remaining work. Related terms: Budget, Cost Estimate.
Estimate to Complete (ETC) #
The estimated cost of completing the remaining work on a project, based on actual costs incurred to date and projected costs for the remaining work. Related terms: Budget, Cost Estimate.
Fast Tracking #
A scheduling technique that involves overlapping or compressing project activities in order to accelerate the project schedule. Related terms: Schedule Compression, Crashing.
Feasibility Study #
A preliminary analysis of a project's potential for success, including assessing technical, financial, and operational feasibility. Related terms: Project Selection, Project Proposal.
Field Order #
A written document that authorizes a change to the project scope, schedule, or budget during the construction phase. Related terms: Change Order, Change Request.
Float #
The amount of time that a project activity can be delayed without impacting the overall project schedule. Related terms: Critical Path, Schedule Management.
Force Majeure #
An unforeseeable event or circumstances that prevents a party from fulfilling its contractual obligations, such as a natural disaster, war, or strike. Related terms: Contract, Risk Management.
Gantt Chart #
A graphical representation of a project schedule, showing the start and end dates, duration, and dependencies of project activities. Related terms: Project Network Diagram, Schedule Management.
Issue Log #
A document that tracks and manages issues that arise during a project, including identifying the issue, assigning responsibility for resolution, and tracking progress towards resolution. Related terms: Risk Management, Change Management.
Invitation for Bids (IFB) #
A formal solicitation issued by a project owner to potential contractors, inviting them to submit bids for a specific project or scope of work. Related terms: Request for Proposals (RFP), Bidder Conferences.
Lessons Learned #
Knowledge or insights gained from a project that can be used to improve future projects or processes. Related terms: Project Closeout, Closure.
Life Cycle Costing #
An analytical technique that considers the total cost of a project over its entire lifecycle, including planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and disposal. Related terms: Budget, Cost Estimate.
Logic Network #
A visual representation of the dependencies and relationships between project activities, typically presented as a flowchart or network diagram. Related terms: Project Network Diagram, Critical Path.
Master Schedule #
A high-level schedule that shows the major milestones and deliverables for a project, and their interdependencies. Related terms: Project Schedule, Schedule Management.
Milestone #
A significant event or achievement in a project, typically used to measure progress towards project goals. Related terms: Project Schedule, Master Schedule.
Network Diagram #
A graphical representation of the dependencies and relationships between project activities, typically presented as a flowchart or network diagram. Related terms: Project Network Diagram, Logic Network.
Operational Phase #
The phase of a project during which the project is operated and maintained, typically following the construction phase. Related terms: Design Phase, Construction Phase.
Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) #
A hierarch