I hate buzzwords, although the occasionally game of buzzword bingo never does any harm. I’m a techie / geek so I hate over selling, I want to be clear about what I am doing. And if you start to use buzz words, it’s not long before you start to use “management speak”… 😉.

What are the problems with buzz words?

• They often mask a lack of understanding, which can be critical to getting a realistic balance
• Embodies half formed ideas that have no relation to technology
• Just putting a label on something doesn’t mean it actually is that
• I can never keep up with the latest ones !

Are there any benefits? Unfortunately there are some.

If everyone else is using a unique term – that can be very powerful. It can provide instant context, short cut conversations, and it can encapsulate an idea that has been forming across the group or wider team. A good example might be the term “DevOps”, it instantly focuses on tech resources and helps plugs gap in operational weaknesses.

As an architect, I often use very specific words for very specific situations. It regularly happens that there are literally no other words that apply all the nuances or layers you are looking for. A good example is the word “synergy”. I still really hate using it, but sometimes it’s the right word to use for the scenario conveying:

• The systems complement each other
• The whole is more than the sum of the parts
• You can deliver the wider vision faster

Using just three syllables, one word, you’ve conveyed a massive amount of information.