M

management by projects

This approach characterizes organizations that manage their operations as projects. These project-centric entities can manage any level of their work as a project. They apply general business skills to each project to determine its value, efficiency, and, ultimately, return on investment.

management by walking around

A method to manage quality and to allow yourself to be seen. Get out of your office and get into the working environment. You don t have to hover around your team members , but let them know you are available, present, and interested in their work.

management reserve

An artificial task that is added at the end of the project. The time allotted to the reserve is typically 10 to 15 percent of the total amount of time to complete all the tasks in a project. When a task runs over its allotted time, the overrun is applied to the management reserve at the end of the critical path rather than on each lagging task.

management summary reports

Management summary reports detail the overall status of the project, changes from the original plan, change in execution, or cost variances within the budget. These reports are created on an as-needed basis and are ideal for upper management.

managerial constraints

Dependency relationships imposed because of a decision by management, which includes the project manager.

mandatory dependencies

This refers to the logical relationship between activities based on the type of work. For example, the foundation of a house must be created before the frame of the house can be built. This is also known as hard logic.

Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs

A theory that states that there are five layers of needs for all humans : physiological, safety, social, esteem, and, the crowning jewel, self-actualization.

Matrix Structures

An organizational structure. There are three matrix structures: weak, balanced, and strong. The different structures are reflective of the project manager s authority in relation to the functional manager s authority.

McGregor s Theory of X and Y

This theory states that X people are lazy, don t want to work, and need to be micromanaged. Y people are self-led, motivated, and strive to succeed.

medium

Part of the communications model, this is the path the message takes from the sender to the receiver. The modality in which the communication travels typically refers to an electronic model, such as e-mail or the telephone.

meeting coordinator

An individual who runs the business of a meeting to keep the topics on schedule and according to the agenda.

meeting minutes

A document that represents a record of a meeting, the problems and situations that were discussed, and documentation of the project as it progresses. Meeting minutes are an excellent method for keeping the team aware of what has already been discussed and settled, resolutions of problems, and proof of the attendees in the meeting.

metrics

A standard of project measurement; often applied to cost, schedule, scope, quality, and performance.

micromanage

The negative approach to managing a subordinate s work in a meddlesome, counterproductive manner.

Microsoft Project

A software tool that allows a project manager to create and manage an entire project from start to finish.

Microsoft Project Server

A companion software to Microsoft Project, it is installed on your company s Internet or intranet server. Microsoft Project Server allows the entire project team to work together to report tasks, schedule updates, and track time spent on each project. Using this software, a project manager can enable multiproject tracking, share and track resources among multiple projects, and work with dependent projects.

milestones

Milestones represent the completion of significant tasks within a project s schedule.

mitigation

Reducing the probability or impact of a risk.

Monte Carlo Analysis

This process predicts how scenarios may work out given any number of variables . It doesn t actually create a specific answer, but offers a range of possible ones. When Monte Carlo is applied to a schedule, it can present, for example, the optimistic completion date, the pessimistic completion date, and the most likely completion date for each activity in the project.

Motivation-Hygiene Theory

Invented by Fred Herzberg, a management consultant and business theorist in 1959. Herzberg s study arrived at the conclusion that workers are impacted by nontangible factors called motivators, and hygiene effects called demotivators.

motivation seekers

An element of Herzberg s theory that employees are motivated or demotivated by effects within an organization. The effects a motivation seeker takes comfort in are achievement, recognition, the work, responsibility, and advancement.

Must Finish On (MFO) constraints

This inflexible constraint is a deadline-orientated task. The task must be completed by a specific date.

Must Start On (MSO) constraints

This inflexible constraint requires that a task begin on a specific date.