Wade HarshmanScrum Master| GDITIndianapolis, In, United States
Are there any words you often hear abused by project managers or by others in business with whom you interact?
For example, I've long thought that we overuse the word "Methodology." Methodology: the study of methods. A set or system of methods for regulating a given discipline, as in "Project Management methodology."
Hang around project managers long enough, and you'll hear something like: "Hey, do you know the methodology for subtracting one date from another in Excel?"
As another example- and perhaps somewhat related- the term "Agile" is a common buzzword often abused by those outside project management (and sometimes by those of us who should know better). The entire Agile Manifesto is 4 values and 12 principles, but it seems as though few people have actually read it, given the way many people use the term.
"Can you do some agile on your project to get it done faster? Also, I need those TPS reports, that'd be great."
What are some other words we often abuse?
(I intend this to be a fun topic. This is not meant to offend anyone's agile methodologies.) Saving Changes...
Stop using the word innovation. The word has become meaningless, used so often it’s simply a vague substitute for “cool”, another problematic and highly subjective term.
Use better words instead. Often people mean one of 1) we want new ideas 2) we want better ideas, 3) we want big changes 4) we need to place big bets on new ideas 5) We want to make a lot more money. Great. Any of those short phrases are more powerful and specific than the i-word. Use them instead.
The best definition of innovation is: significant positive change. It forces the attention on what kind of positive change you want (better sales? higher quality? more customers?) and how large an improvement you desire (10%? 40%?). Saving Changes...
"Leverage your expertise"
"Expand your bandwidth"
“There is lot of expectation”
“Nothing comes for free”
“Build relations”
“Network”
"Think Innovation"
"Bring it on table" Saving Changes...
Elizabeth HarrinDirector| RebelsGuideToPM.comLondon, England, United Kingdom
"Reach out to" (e.g. stakeholders).
The worst thing is that I caught myself using this only yesterday and I hate it! At the time I couldn't think of anything better, that's how ingrained it has become. Saving Changes...
Wade HarshmanScrum Master| GDITIndianapolis, In, United States
I hear the word "scale" a lot, lately. It seems like many people use it in different contexts, though, as though we haven't all agreed on a definition. I immediately hear Inigo Montoya in my head, questioning whether that word means what I think it means. Saving Changes...
