How do we understand each other?
Concepts
How we think about our journey.
- What concepts must we define?
- What processes need naming?
- What abstractions need concrete definition?
- Where do definitions conflict or overlap?
Language
How we communicate with others.
- What technical terms apply?
- What jargon do experts use?
- Which acronyms and abbreviations matter?
- What specialized meanings differ from common usage?
Understanding
How different actors interpret key terms.
- Which terms mean different things to different actors?
- Where have misunderstandings or strong reactions occurred before?
- What assumptions hide behind common terms?
- How do cultural differences affect interpretation?
Comparison
How we relate experience to motivate understanding.
- What analogies help explain our work?
- Which metaphors do others use?
- What mental models guide thinking?
- How do these comparisons help or mislead?
Boundaries
How we decide what we communicate.
- How do we define success and failure?
- Where are the edge cases in our definitions?
- What is explicitly not included in key terms?
- When do definitions need to be precise vs. flexible?
Publication
How we document our terms and who controls access.
- Where are definitions documented and who can access them?
- Who has authority to define or change terms?
- Which definitions are negotiable?
- How do we handle competing definitions?