Your Ultimate Guide to Corporate Jargon
Tags: humor, corporatelife, workplace, jargon
Published: 2017-09-04 08:05:10

---
title: Your Ultimate Guide to Corporate Jargon
published: true
description: A satirical look at the essential jargon for any workplace. 
tags: humor, corporate life, workplace, jargon
cover_image: https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/jlru2cu5o7tu7n90ikly.jpeg
canonical_url: https://www.samjarman.co.nz/blog/jargon
---
In this somewhat satirical [*Junior Dev Diaries*](http://www.samjarman.co.nz/diaries) post, I want to cover office/tech/workplace jargon and terms. Most of these were completely new to me, and too often now I find myself using them fluently, and for that, I hate myself.


###The Terms

**Across It** – This means understand it after looking at it for a while. Example *“Oh, I’m not across that new work that Jane did on the project yet”.*

**Catch Up** – Have a conversation. “*I’d like to catch up next week to discuss the project”*

**Check In** – Have a conversation. *“I’d like to check in next week to discuss the project”*

**Touch Base** – Have a conversation, but you want to be a creep about it. *“I’d like to touch base next week to discuss the project”*

**Push Back** – You didn’t get your way, sometimes with a reason. *“They pushed back on that approach, they wanted us to find a cheaper way”.*

**Challenge It/You** – Tell you you’re wrong, maybe with reasons. Usually for your own benefit or your arguments benefit (you may not have explained it right). *“I might just challenge you on that, what if we used a 3rd party solution instead?”*

**Scope** – The work to do, and what you don’t need to do. “*Oh that’s out of scope.”*

**Deliverable** – The *things* that are outputs of the work, such as code or a document.* “Can you add the documentation to the project deliverables? Ta!”*

**Value Add** – The positive impact you add to the company or product. *“Yeah, but what’s the value add here? I dont know if the new client will benefit from that!?”*

**Pair** – Work together on something, because two people will make it go faster…right? *“I’ll pair with you on that document”.*

**Conscious Of** – Stressing out about something, but a bit more calmly. Something might be bugging them and it’s bugging them that it’s not bugging you. *“I’m conscious of the time left on the project and the remaining deliverables do be done. How can I help?”*

**Make a Case** – Forming a coherent argument for something that isn’t trivial. *“That idea sounds great, Sam. I’ll get you to make a case for it at the next meeting.”*

**Go Live** – When something is being released to the public. Nothing to do with a biological heartbeat. *“The new health and safety legislation is going live next week – you’ll see press about it…”*

**Challenges** – The stuff we need to figure out but we’re trying to stay positive about it. “Brad, I’m keen to hear about the challenges a two new team members will bring!”

**Opportunities** – False hope of benefits by the under-informed. *“I’m really excited by the opportunities Artificial Intelligence will bring to our company”*

**In This Space** – Sentance sugar for *“here”* that makes you sound so much smarter. Often combined with previous jargon. *“I’m really excited about cryptocurrency. There’s a lot of opportunity in this space.”*

**Fall out** – Failing on a commitment but trying to get away with it. Somewhat of a “basket of deliverables metaphor I think? *“I’m afraid that the video feature will probably fall out of this sprint.”*

**Descoping** – Failing on a commitment but trying to get away with it. *“I’m afraid that the video feature will probably be descoped for this task.”*

So that’s a few terms to start learning and using around the office. You can mix and mash them too. Get creative. How many can you jam into a single phrase? Remember, *the smarter you sound, the better you are*. Think about it – If you’re not both translating in and out of this corporate wankery – are you *really* working?

Better living everyone.

Thanks to my good friends in my life who I have a bit of a laugh about this with every now and then. They helped me form this most wonderful list. â¤