Definitions

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to help you, especially if you are new to project management.

You may have contacted me to express your frustration with trying to learn about project management.  You go to read something educational and find that half the terms used are unfamiliar.  One project management definition relies on another.

Even more telling is the general tone I sense from the masses of email I get daily.  You may not have asked these questions…perhaps you were too uncomfortable to raise your hand.  Instead, you may be banging your head against a wall trying to collect bits and pieces of information and work them into a whole picture.

You keep following the trail back further into the rabbit hole until finally, you find out what those 15 pieces of lingo mean (kind of).

But by now you forgot what you were trying to learn in the first place.

It’s My Fault

I didn’t mean to do it, honest!

Everyone tends to take knowledge for granted once they have gained it.  I am no exception.  The “Curse of Knowledge” strikes again!

Let’s address the problem head-on, shall we?

Learning About Project Management Doesn’t Have to Suck

No, really!  I mean it.

This kicks off a series of short posts.  In this series, I will throw out commonly-used terms in project management and tell you what they mean to me.  This will NOT be an academic exercise.

My goal is to offer definitions in light-hearted, everyday language.  I’ll avoid the “replacement for sleeping pills” drone you find most places.  I will avoid using unfamiliar project management terms to explain unfamiliar project management terms.

Do you have a project management term you would like to see added to the series?  Connect with me and let me know.

>>>>>   Let’s Get Started   <<<<<

For Those “Academic” Types

If you already know the lingo and want an academic definition, see the Wideman Comparative Glossary of Project Management Terms.  It is excellent as a reference, but not if you are brand new to project management.

You will drown in acronym soup and sleep for 75 years.  Seriously.

Don’t get me wrong.  I love Max and what he does.  I use his website all the time.  I’ve met him in person, and he’s an all-around wonderful guy.  Max’s glossary is for people who are diving into advanced subjects and want a sense for what the “proper” way to define something might be among many options.  His target audience consists of reasonably experienced project managers though…not newbies.

>>>>>   Let’s Get Started   <<<<<

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