CompTIA PK0-005 Glossary: Key Terms
April 13, 2026
CompTIA PK0-005 glossary of project life cycle, planning, risk, and documentation terms.
Use this glossary when lifecycle, schedule, governance, and documentation terms start to blur together. Keep it beside the cheat sheet rather than using it as a substitute for scenario work.
| Term |
Short meaning |
| Baseline |
Approved reference version of scope, schedule, or cost |
| Business case |
The justification for why the project should be done |
| Change request |
Formal request to modify approved work or constraints |
| Charter |
Formal authorization for the project to exist |
| Critical path |
Longest path through the schedule that controls finish date |
| Float |
Amount of delay a task can absorb without changing a later date |
| Issue |
Problem that already exists and needs action now |
| Issue log |
Tracking record for active problems |
| Milestone |
Zero-duration schedule checkpoint |
| Phase gate |
Formal review point before moving to the next phase |
| Procurement |
Acquiring goods or services from outside the team |
| RAM |
Responsibility assignment matrix |
| RACI |
Matrix showing responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed roles |
| Retrospective |
Team reflection on how to improve the process |
| Risk |
Uncertain future event that may affect the project |
| Risk register |
Tracking record for risks, responses, and owners |
| Scope creep |
Uncontrolled scope growth without formal approval |
| Sponsor |
The person or role that authorizes and supports the project |
| Stakeholder |
Anyone affected by the project or able to influence it |
| WBS |
Work Breakdown Structure, which decomposes work into manageable pieces |
Commonly confused pairs
| Pair |
Keep this distinction clear |
| risk vs issue |
future uncertainty versus current problem |
| charter vs project plan |
project authority versus execution detail |
| milestone vs task |
checkpoint versus work activity |
| float vs critical path |
schedule flexibility versus finish-driving path |
| change request vs issue log |
proposed modification versus active problem record |
If the confusion is really about…
Revised on Sunday, May 10, 2026