Glossary - 'D'

• Decision tree analysis A type of analysis that determines which of two decisions is the best. The decision tree assists in calculating the value of the decision and determining which decision costs the least.
• Decoder This is a part of the communications model; it is the inverse of the encoder. If a message is encoded, a decoder translates it back to a usable format.
• Defect repair An identified defect in a project component that needs to be repaired or replaced.
• Deliverable The outcome of a project or project phase; a deliverable of a project can be a product or service.
• Delphi Technique A method to query experts anonymously on foreseeable risks within the project, a phase of the project, or one of its components. The results of the survey are analyzed and organized and then circulated to the experts. Several rounds of anonymous discussions can be held using the Delphi Technique. The goal is to gain a consensus on project risks, and the anonymous nature of the process ensures that no one expert’s advice overtly influences the opinion of any other participant.
• Design of experiments This relies on statistical “what-if” scenarios to determine which variables within a project will result in the best outcome; it can also be employed to eliminate a defect. The design of experiments approach is most often used on the product of the project, rather than the project itself.
• Direct costs Costs incurred by the project in order for it to exist. Examples include the equipment needed to complete the project work, the salaries of the project team, and other expenses tied directly to the project’s existence.
• Discretionary dependencies The preferred order of activities. Project managers should adhere to the order at their “discretion” and should document the logic behind the ordering. Discretionary dependencies have activities happen in a preferred order because of best practices, conditions unique to the project work, or external events. This is also known as soft logic.
• Dummy activity An activity with no duration used in the arrow diagramming method to represent logical relationships between project activities.

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  References:
  

• PMP Exam Prep, Fifth Edition: Rita's Course in a Book for Passing the PMP Exam by Rita Mulcahy.
  
• PMP Project Management Professional Study Guide, Second Edition by Joseph Phillips.
  
• PMP: Project Management Professional Study Guide, 3rd Edition by Kim Heldman.