Apportioned Effort (AE)

The term apportioned effort refers to energies put forth for application into project-related work that is incapable of being easily and readily divisible into discrete efforts for those tasks but rather, in fact, is related in a direct proportion to measurable discrete work efforts. As such, the existence of apportioned effort relies specifically and directly on the performance of other efforts. One example of apportioned effort in action is that of the quality assurance division within a major corporation. That quality assurance division is specifically and wholly reliant on the performance of the manufacturing team as a whole. Those factors that are determined to be applicable to the apportioned effort must be evenly distributed and well documented. From a financial standpoint, apportioned effort can be budgeted separately, or it can be budgeted as its own line item as part of the main umbrella project. The direct contrast to apportioned effort is discrete effort.

This term is defined in the 3rd edition of the PMBOK but not in the 4th.