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What is Baseline?

Baseline: The approved plan used for comparison.

Where Baseline fits

Baseline is part of Planning in Project Management. Projects need a scope, a timeline and a team. Break work into a WBS, set milestones, map dependencies and find the critical path.

Practical tip

Write the scope down and kick off with shared goals.

Related terms

Milestone
A key checkpoint that marks progress in a project.
Gantt chart
A bar chart showing tasks along a timeline.
Critical path
The longest chain of tasks that sets a project's minimum duration.
Deliverable
A tangible output a project promises to produce.
Resource allocation
Deciding which people and money go to which tasks.
Work breakdown structure
Splitting a project into smaller, manageable pieces.
Project charter
A document that formally launches a project.
Kickoff meeting
The first meeting that aligns the team.

Formulas you will use with it

PERT estimateProductivity

Test yourself

Which term means: “The approved plan used for comparison.”?

Work breakdown structure · Milestone · Baseline

Answer: Baseline

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