Zdobądź wiedzę i inspirację – zarządzanie projektami na wyciągnięcie ręki w naszych podcastach!

Suppose you’re saving up to buy a new bike. You add up the price of the bike, helmet, and lock. The total is what you need to save before you can ride off into the sunset.
That’s Budget at Completion: the grand total you expect to spend to finish your project, all costs included.

Picture a group of friends trying to decide what movie to watch. Everyone shouts out ideas—action, comedy, sci-fi, even that weird indie film. No one laughs at any suggestion. After the list is made, the group talks it over and picks the movie everyone’s excited about.
That’s brainstorming: tossing out every idea, no matter how wild, and then choosing the best one together.

Think of building a LEGO castle. Instead of guessing how long the whole castle will take, you count how many minutes it takes to build each tiny wall, tower, and gate. Then, you add up all those little times to get the total time for the whole castle.
That’s bottom-up estimating: breaking a big job into small pieces, figuring out the effort for each, and adding it all together for a solid, realistic plan.

Imagine you’re baking cookies for a contest. Before you start, you taste cookies from the best bakers in town. You notice one uses a special chocolate, another bakes at a lower temperature, and a third decorates beautifully. You compare your cookies to theirs and pick up tips to make yours even better.
That’s benchmarking: looking at what the best are doing, learning from them, and raising your own game.

Think of a baseline as your original plan for a road trip: how far you’ll drive each day, how much money you’ll spend on gas and food, and where you’ll stop along the way. If anything changes—like taking a detour or spending more money—you compare it to your baseline to see how far off track you are.
In project management, a baseline is the approved version of your plan (scope, schedule, cost) used to measure progress and see if things are going as expected.

A bar chart is like a visual timeline for your project. Imagine listing all your daily tasks (e.g., breakfast, work, gym) on the left side of a page and drawing horizontal bars across a calendar to show how long each task will take.
In project management, bar charts display activities or tasks on one axis and time on another. Each task is represented as a horizontal bar showing its start and end dates. A common example is the Gantt Chart, which helps track progress.

Imagine you’re organizing that big event and every week you sit down with your team to review your to-do list. You check if tasks are still relevant, update details (e.g., change "buy balloons" to "buy eco-friendly decorations"), and decide which tasks to tackle next.
Backlog Refinement is this ongoing process of reviewing and updating the backlog so that it’s clear and ready for the team to work on in the next phase or iteration.

Think of a backlog as a giant to-do list for your project team. It’s like writing down everything you need to do for a big event (e.g., shopping for groceries, decorating, sending invitations) and organizing it by priority. In project management, a backlog is a prioritized list of all tasks or "stories" that need to be completed for the project.

Imagine you’re planning a picnic, but the weather forecast predicts rain. To avoid the risk of getting wet, you decide to change your plan entirely: you reschedule the picnic for another day, move it indoors, or reduce the scope by only inviting a few close friends.
In project management, Avoid means taking steps to completely eliminate a potential problem (risk) by adjusting the project plan—like extending deadlines, increasing resources, or changing strategies.

Imagine a ship captain steering through a storm. The crew provides input about wind direction and waves, but ultimately, the captain makes the final decision on how to navigate safely. In group decision-making, an autocratic approach is like that captain’s role - one person makes the decision after considering input from others. It’s efficient but relies heavily on the leader’s judgment.

Think of an audit as a teacher grading a student’s project. The teacher examines every detail - the accuracy of information, how well it meets the requirements, and whether it follows the rules. While this process can feel intimidating for the student, it ensures that standards are met and improvements can be made. Similarly, in project management, an audit is a formal review of a project’s goals, processes, and compliance with methodologies to ensure everything is on track.

Imagine planning a picnic on a sunny day. You assume the weather will stay clear because the forecast predicts sunshine. However, you also know there’s always a chance it could rain. In project management, assumptions are like that belief in good weather - factors considered true or certain during planning without concrete proof. They guide decisions but must be validated regularly to ensure they don’t derail the project.

Picture an artist’s studio filled with tools, sketches, paints, and finished works of art. Each item in the studio serves a purpose in the creative process and contributes to the final masterpiece. In project management, artifacts are like those tools and creations - they include processes, inputs, outputs, and resources that the team uses to manage and complete their project. These artifacts are carefully organized, tracked, and preserved for future reference or audits.

Imagine a construction project where a new blueprint is proposed to improve the design of a building. The blueprint is reviewed by a committee of experts who carefully evaluate its feasibility, safety, and impact on the overall project. Once approved, the blueprint becomes an official plan ready to be implemented. Similarly, approved change requests are like those blueprints - they are proposed changes that have been reviewed and approved by the Change Control Board (CCB) and are now ready to be scheduled for action.

Picture a master chef preparing a new dish. Instead of measuring every ingredient precisely, they glance at a similar recipe from last week’s menu. “This sauce needed 20 minutes to simmer,” they think, “so this one will likely take 25.” Analogous estimation works the same way: teams use past experiences with similar tasks or projects as a compass. It’s a top-down shortcut, relying on historical patterns to forecast time or cost, even when details differ. Like the chef, it’s efficient but requires trusting the familiar to guide the unknown.

Imagine standing in a dense forest at twilight, surrounded by identical-looking trees. Shadows blur the path ahead, and every step feels uncertain. You hear rustling leaves but can’t pinpoint the source—a squirrel, a rabbit, or the wind? Ambiguity is like this moment: clarity dissolves, leaving you with overlapping possibilities and no clear direction. It’s the fog that obscures cause and effect, forcing you to navigate through guesswork or wait for the sun to rise.

Agreements are like setting the rules before starting a group project. Imagine you and your friends are planning to build a treehouse together. Before picking up tools, you talk about who’s doing what, how big the treehouse will be, and what materials you’ll use. Maybe you write it all down or just agree verbally. These initial decisions set expectations so everyone knows their role and what’s expected.

In professional projects, agreements work the same way. They can be formal documents like contracts or informal communications like emails or verbal promises. Their purpose is to make sure everyone involved understands the goals, responsibilities, and boundaries from the start, avoiding confusion or disagreements later on.

Agile release planning is like organizing a road trip with friends. Instead of just focusing on the final destination, you break the journey into smaller stops along the way. At each stop, you decide what activities you’ll do - maybe sightseeing, grabbing lunch, or resting - and estimate how long it will take to get there. You also set rough timelines for reaching each stop, keeping the trip on track without being overly rigid.

This approach makes the journey feel manageable and gives everyone a clear idea of what’s happening next. If plans need to change - like taking a detour or spending extra time at a favorite spot - you can adjust without losing sight of the overall goal. Agile release planning works in much the same way: it divides a big project into smaller, achievable parts with clear goals and deadlines while staying flexible enough to adapt as needed.

Agile principles are like building a house step by step - room by room - while constantly checking with the homeowner to ensure satisfaction. Here’s a simplified breakdown:

1. Customer Happiness Comes First
   Build rooms the homeowner loves by delivering valuable parts early and often.
2. Welcome Changes, Even Late
   Adjust plans if the homeowner wants a bigger window or a new feature mid-project.
3. Deliver Rooms Frequently
   Finish one room at a time, like the bathroom this week and the bedroom next week.
4. Collaborate Closely Every Day
   Builders, architects, and homeowners meet daily to stay aligned on the vision.
5. Trust Skilled Builders
   Let craftsmen do their job without micromanaging - they know what they’re doing.
6. Face-to-Face Communication Works Best
   Discuss plans in person with blueprints rather than relying on emails.
7. Finished Rooms Matter Most
   Progress is measured by completed, usable rooms - not hours worked.
8. Build at a Sustainable Pace
   Work steadily, completing one room per week without rushing or burning out.
9. Focus on Quality Craftsmanship
   Build sturdy walls and thoughtful designs that will last.
10. Keep It Simple
    Avoid unnecessary features; focus on what’s truly needed.
11. Let Teams Organize Themselves
    Builders decide how best to approach tasks for efficiency.
12. Reflect and Improve Regularly
    After each room, discuss what worked and improve for the next one.

This approach ensures flexibility, frequent progress, and collaboration while delivering results that truly meet the homeowner’s needs—just like Agile principles in software development!

Imagine a skilled musician joining a jazz band, where each member improvises and collaborates to create harmony. An Agile Practitioner is like that musician—someone who embraces the agile mindset and works seamlessly with others in cross-functional teams. They adapt, innovate, and contribute to the rhythm of progress, earning the title of „agilist” as they help the team achieve its goals through collaboration and shared agility.

Picture a group of 17 software developers gathered in Snowbird, Utah, in 2001, brainstorming how to make software development more flexible and human-centered. From their collective experiences, they crafted the Agile Manifesto—a set of four core values that revolutionized the industry: prioritizing individuals and interactions over rigid processes and tools, focusing on working software rather than exhaustive documentation, fostering customer collaboration instead of sticking to strict contract terms, and embracing change rather than rigidly following a plan. This manifesto became the foundation for modern agile practices.

Imagine building a sandcastle by the shore, layer by layer. You start with the foundation, then add towers, walls, and details, constantly refining as waves shape the edges. The Agile Life Cycle works similarly—it’s an iterative and incremental approach where teams build and improve work items step by step, delivering value frequently and adapting to changes along the way.

Imagine planning a road trip where you estimate how far you can travel each day based on the terrain, weather, and your car’s fuel efficiency. Agile Estimating works the same way—it helps teams map out their journey from the start, breaking down the work into manageable pieces. This approach ensures the team can focus on delivering high-quality results at every stop along the way, without overcommitting or losing sight of the destination.

Imagine being a guide on an adventurous mountain trek, helping a team navigate through winding paths, unpredictable weather, and steep climbs. The Agile Coach is that guide—empowering teams across the organization to adapt, collaborate, and find their own best route to success using agile practices. Like a mentor teaching climbers how to use their tools effectively, the Agile Coach ensures everyone is equipped to tackle challenges and reach their peak performance.

Imagine cycling through a forest, where every obstacle requires a quick reaction to stay on track. This is Agile—being flexible and ready to change direction at any moment to reach your goal.

Think of organizing shirts on a rack by size—small, medium, large. This simple categorization helps you quickly find what you need. Affinity Estimating works similarly, using categories like T-shirt sizes to estimate task sizes.

Imagine having a box of colored buttons and sorting them by color. Each button finds its place, making it easy to find and use. This is similar to an Affinity Diagram, where ideas are grouped for better understanding and analysis.

Picture yourself putting all your documents into a folder, labeling it as „completed,” and storing it away on a shelf. This is Administrative Closure—organizing and finalizing project results so they can be archived.

Imagine being the captain of a ship navigating through unpredictable waters. You must adjust course to avoid hidden reefs and reach your destination safely. This is what Adaptive is all about—being flexible and responsive to change.

Actual Cost (AC)  is a term used in Earned Value Management (EVM). Imagine you’re tracking how much money you’ve spent on a project so far. Actual Cost is the total amount of money actually spent on work completed up to a certain point in time. It includes all direct and indirect costs, like labor, materials, and overheads. This metric helps project managers monitor if they are staying within budget and make informed decisions to control costs.

Activity Resource Requirements are the specific resources—physical (like equipment), human (like team members), and organizational (like facilities)—needed to complete all the tasks listed in the activity list. It’s about ensuring you have everything necessary to get the job done.

Activity Resource Estimates are like planning a party. You need to figure out how many chairs, tables, and people you’ll need. In project management, this means estimating the materials and human resources required to complete each activity. These estimates often come with a probability or range to account for uncertainties.

Think of an Activity List as a comprehensive to-do list for your project. It’s a well-organized table that outlines each task with clarity, including a straightforward Activity Description that explains what needs to be accomplished, a unique Activity Identifier for easy reference, and a detailed Scope-of-Work Description that provides specific insights into the work involved. This list serves as a shared roadmap, keeping everyone aligned and focused on their responsibilities.

Imagine you’re planning a road trip. You need to estimate how long it will take to drive from one city to another. Activity Duration Estimates are like predicting how many hours or days it will take to complete a specific task or activity in a project. It’s a quantitative assessment of the time required for each task, helping you plan the project timeline effectively.

Picture a domino chain reaction. One domino falls, triggering the next, and so on. In projects, activities can be like these dominos – the start of one often depends on the completion of another. It’s about understanding which tasks need to fall into place before others can begin.

Imagine planning a road trip and estimating costs for each stop – gas here, hotel there, meals along the way. In projects, we do the same thing for each activity. It’s like creating a detailed budget for your journey, considering everything from snacks (small expenses) to potential car repairs (unexpected costs).

Think of activities as the individual dance moves that make up a choreographed routine. Each has a start, a finish, and a specific purpose. String them together in the right order, and you’ve got your project dance!

Picture a game of „telephone,” but instead of whispering and passing on, each person repeats what they heard to make sure they got it right. That’s active listening – you’re not just hearing words, you’re catching them, examining them, and throwing back your understanding to ensure nothing gets lost in translation.

Imagine you’re a chef presenting your signature dish to a food critic. The critic tastes it, nods approvingly, and signs off on a review card. That’s what accepted deliverables are like in project management – the final products that have passed the taste test (acceptance criteria) and gotten the official thumbs up from the client or sponsor.

These are like a chef’s taste test before serving a dish. They’re the standards your project must meet to satisfy the client. Clear criteria prevent misunderstandings and ensure everyone knows what „good” looks like.

It’s like knowing it might rain but choosing not to bring an umbrella. You’re aware of the risk but decide to deal with it if it happens. In projects, it’s used when preventing the risk is more trouble than it’s worth. Just remember, you might get wet!

Think of a jigsaw puzzle. The 100% Rule says every piece must be accounted for to complete the picture. In project planning, it ensures no task is left out when breaking down the work. It’s about making sure your project plan is as complete as that finished puzzle.

Imagine sorting your closet and realizing 20% of your clothes are worn 80% of the time. That’s the 80/20 Rule in action! In projects, it means a small number of factors often have the biggest impact. It’s like finding the VIPs in a crowd – they’re few but mighty important. This idea helps you focus on what really matters, saving time and resources.

A problem-solving approach where you keep asking „Why?” to find the real cause of a problem. It’s like peeling an onion – each „why” takes you deeper. The name says five, but you might need more or fewer questions. It’s a simple yet powerful way to get to the heart of problems in many areas of work. People like it because it’s easy to use and helps find the true source of issues, not just surface problems. It’s particularly useful in quality control and process improvement initiatives.