To: itlt@MIT.EDU
Cc: mbarker@MIT.EDU
Subject: communication
Date: Thu, 03 Aug 1995 13:01:43 EDT
From: Tom Coppeto <tom@MIT.EDU>


A difficult part of communicating the plans and thoughts about the upcoming
transitions has been defining meanings for the various "buzz" words
floating about. One can talk for hours about this new world order and later
realize it is a game of words and no meaning or substance has been
communicated. I guess this is what makes management consulting a profitable
enterprise.

Several of us spent a couple of hours on this journey of vocabulary this
morning only to realize that we didn't have a clue about what we were
talking about. So we came up with an idea to improve communication and to
help everyone get on the same playing field.  It simply requires that
"buzz" words which may be overused, used as crutches or contain multiple
definitions be added to the taboo list, just like in the game. The new
world order should be describable without using these words.

We came up with a starting list of words and phrases which appear in many
places and do not serve to communicate meaning. 

	1. team
	2. process
	3. competency
	4. reengineer
	5. work smarter
	6. great systems fast
	7. doing the right thing (leftover from tqm)
	8. information technology (I/T)

I think if the speech, papers and slides presented are simply a crafty
combination of "reengineering" catch phrases and terms, then it's an
indication of incomplete understanding of what is going on. If it's
understood, it should be explained in simple and honest language that we
all understand.

						- Tom