Project Management Glossary
Clear definitions of essential project management terms, with real-world examples.
Kanban
A visual workflow management method that uses boards with columns to represent stages of work, helping teams track tasks from start to completion.
Agile
An iterative approach to project management and software development that delivers work in small, frequent increments rather than one large release.
Scrum
An agile framework that organizes work into fixed-length iterations called sprints, typically 1-2 weeks, with defined roles and ceremonies.
Sprint
A fixed time period (typically 1-4 weeks) during which a team commits to completing a specific set of work items.
Backlog
A prioritized list of all pending work items—features, bugs, improvements—that a team plans to work on in the future.
Velocity
A metric measuring the amount of work a team completes in a sprint, typically measured in story points or task counts.
Standup (Daily Scrum)
A brief daily team meeting (typically 15 minutes) where each member shares what they did yesterday, what they're doing today, and any blockers.
Retrospective
A team meeting held at the end of a sprint or project to reflect on what went well, what didn't, and what to improve for next time.
User Story
A short, informal description of a feature or requirement written from the perspective of the end user, typically in the format: 'As a [user], I want [goal], so that [benefit].'
AI Task Management
Task management systems that use artificial intelligence to automate the creation, organization, prioritization, and tracking of work items.
Natural Language Processing (NLP)
A branch of AI that enables computers to understand, interpret, and respond to human language in a meaningful way.