Glossary - 'F'

• Facilitating processes These processes support the project management core processes. They are done as needed throughout the project. The facilitating processes are quality planning, communications planning, organizational planning, staff acquisition, risk identification, qualitative risk analysis, quantitative risk analysis, risk response planning, procurement planning, and solicitation planning.
• Fast tracking Doing activities in parallel that are normally done sequentially.
• Feedback A response, question for clarification, or other confirmation once a sent message is received.
• Finish No Earlier Than (FNET) This somewhat unusual constraint requires the activity to be in motion up until the predetermined date.
• Finish No Later Than (FNLT) This constraint requires the project or activity to finish by a predetermined date.
• Finish-to-Finish This relationship means Task A must complete before Task B can complete. Ideally, two tasks must finish at exactly the same time, but this is not always the case.
• Finish-to-Start This relationship means Task A must complete before Task B can begin. This is the most common relationship.
• Fixed-price contracts Fixed-price contracts are also known as firm-fixed-price and lump-sum contracts. These contracts have a preset price that the vendor must adhere to in both performing the work and providing materials.
• Float The amount of time a task can be delayed without delaying the project’s completion. Technically, there are three different types of float: Free float is the total time a single activity can be delayed without delaying the early start of any successor activities. Total float is the total time an activity can be delayed without delaying project completion. Project float is the total time the project can be delayed without passing the customer’s expected completion date.
• Flowchart A chart that illustrates how the parts of a system occur in sequence.
• Force majeure A powerful and unexpected event, such as a hurricane or other disaster.
• Forcing A conflict resolution method where one person dominates or forces their point of view or solution to a conflict.
• Forecasting An educated estimate of how long the project will take to complete. Can also refer to how much the project may cost to complete.
• Formal power The type of power where the project manager has been assigned by senior management to be in charge of the project.
• Fragnets (also called subnets) Portions of a network diagram that branch off the project and are not on the critical path.
• Free float The total time a single activity can be delayed without delaying the early start of any successor activities.
• Functional structure An organizational structure that groups staff members according to their area of expertise (sales, marketing, construction, and so on). Functional structures require the project team members to report directly to the functional manager. In this type of structure, the project manager’s authority and decision-making ability is less than the functional manager’s.
• Future value A formula to calculate the future value of present money.

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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.