project management glossary

key performance indicators (kpi)

Those project management indicators that:

are determined at the beginning of the project
reflect directly on the key objectives[goals] of the project
provide the basis for project management trade-off decisions during the course of the project.

And at completion of the project these KPIs:

will be the most relevant measures to confirm the acceptability of the project and its product by the project's stakeholders as being "successful"
can be measured in some way, at some time, on some scale.

Measurable indicators that will be used to report progress that is chosen to reflect the critical success factors of the project.

Measurable indicators, chosen to reflect the critical success factors of the project, which are used to report on progress.

People who are critical to the project organization.

Those persons assigned by name to a project who cannot be replaced without approval of the buyer.