Important PMP Abbreviations / Acronyms
An acronym is a word or name formed as an abbreviation from the initial components in a phrase or a word, usually individual letters and sometimes syllables …
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Important PMP Abbreviations / Acronyms
In the A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) and the PMP Exam, acronyms are almost used everywhere to allow more effective communication, long terms such as “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge” can be much shortened to PMBOK® Guide. Below is a collection of the most commonly used abbreviations as found in the PMBOK® Guide for easy reference:
| Abbreviations | Terms In Full Form |
|---|---|
| AC | Actual Cost |
| ADM | Arrow Diagramming Method |
| ADR | Alternative Dispute Resolution |
| AE | Apportioned Effort |
| AOA | Activity-on-Arrow |
| AON | Activity-on-Node |
| BAC | Budget at Completion |
| BCR | Benefit Cost Ratio |
| BOM | Bill Of Materials |
| CA | Control Account |
| CBR | Cost Benefit Ratio |
| CBT | Computer-Based Test (for the PMP Exam) |
| CCB | Change Control Board |
| CCR | Continuing Certification Requirements |
| CMMI | Capability Maturity Model Integrated |
| COC | Cost of Conformance |
| CONC | Cost of Non-Conformance |
| COQ | Cost of Quality |
| CPAF | Cost Plus Award Fee (Contract) |
| CPF | Cost Plus Fee (Contract) |
| CPFF | Cost Plus Fixed Fee (Contract) |
| CPI | Cost Performance Index |
| CPIF | Cost Plus Incentive Fee (Contract) |
| CPM | Critical Path Method |
| CPPC | Cost Plus Percentage of Cost |
| CR | Change Request |
| CV | Cost Variance |
| CWBS | Contract Work Breakdown Structure |
| DOE | Design of Experiments |
| EAC | Estimate at Completion |
| EEF | Enterprise Environmental Factors |
| EF | Early Finish |
| EMV | Expected Monetary Value |
| EPV | Expected Present Value |
| ES | Early Start |
| ETC | Estimate to Complete |
| EV | Earned Value |
| EVA | Earned Value Analysis |
| EVM | Earned Value Management |
| EVT | Earned Value Technique |
| FF | Finish-to-Finish |
| FFP | Firm Fixed Price (Contract) |
| FMEA | Failure Mode and Effect Analysis |
| FPEPA | Fixed Price with Economic Price Adjustment (Contract) |
| FPIF | Fixed Price Incentive Fee (Contract) |
| FS | Finish-to-Start |
| IFB | Invitation for Bid |
| IRR | Internal Rate of Return |
| ITTO | Inputs, Tools, Techniques & Outputs |
| JIT | Just in Time |
| LF | Late Finish |
| LOE | Level of Effort |
| LS | Late Start |
| NPV | Net Present Value |
| OBS | Organizational Breakdown Structure |
| OPA | Organizational Process Assets |
| OPM3 | Organizational Project Management Maturity Model |
| PBT | Paper-Based Test (PMP Exam) |
| PDCA | Plan Do Check Act |
| PDM | Precedence Diagramming Method |
| PDU | Professional Development Unit |
| PERT | Program Evaluation and Review Technique |
| PM | Project Manager |
| PMB | Performance Measurement Baseline |
| PMBOK® Guide | A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge |
| PMI | Project Management Institute |
| PMIS | Project Management Information System |
| PMO | Project Management Office |
| PMP | Project Management Professional |
| PS | Planned Start Date |
| PTA | Point of Total Assumption |
| PV | Planned Value or Present Value |
| QA | Quality Assurance |
| QC | Quality Control |
| QFD | Quality Function Deployment |
| RACI | Responsible, Accountable, Consult, Inform |
| RAM | Responsibility Assignment Matrix |
| RBS | Resource Breakdown Structure or Risk Breakdown Structure |
| RFI | Request for Information |
| RFP | Request for Proposal |
| RFQ | Request for Quotation |
| ROI | Return on Investment |
| ROM | Rough Order of Magnitude |
| SF | Start-to-Finish |
| SME | Subject Matter Experts |
| SOW | Statement of Work |
| SPI | Schedule Performance Index |
| SS | Start-to-Start |
| SV | Schedule Variance |
| SWOT Analysis | Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Analysis |
| T&M | Time and Material |
| TCPI | To-Complete Performance Index |
| TQM | Total Quality Management |
| TS | Target Start Date |
| VAC | Variance at Completion |
| VE | Value Engineering |
| VOC | Voice of the Customer |
| WAS | Work Authorization System |
| WBS | Work Breakdown Structure |
Agile Project Management Abbreviations
| ATDD | Acceptance Test-Driven Development |
| BDD | Behavior-driven Development |
| BRD | Business Requirement Documents |
| DA | Disciplined Agile |
| DoD | Definition of Done |
| DoR | Definition of Ready |
| DSDM | Dynamic Systems Development Method |
| Evo | Evolutionary Value Delivery |
| LeSS | Large-Scale Scrum |
| LSD | Lean Software Development |
| PDCA | Plan-Do-Check-Act |
| RUP | Rational Unified Process |
| SAFe | Scaled Agile Framework |
| SBE | Specification by Example |
| XP | eXtreme Programming |
Wish you PMP success!
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Hi, my name is Edward Chung, PMP, PMI-ACP®, ITIL® Foundation. Like most of us, I am a working professional pursuing career advancements through Certifications. As I am having a full-time job and a family with 3 kids, I need to pursue professional certifications in the most effective way (i.e. with the least amount of time). I share my exam tips here in the hope of helping fellow Certification aspirants!
Hi Edward, thank you for compiling this list of abbreviations. Would be great to have this list updated with PMBOK 6th Edition as there are a good number of new abbreviations added.
Thank you
Isaac
Thanks for your comments. Will try hard to do that asap. Wish you PMP success!