Definitions

The justification for embarking upon an organizational development effort (i.e. to work on the business), which determines the resources and priority allocated to the breadth (the “what“), depth (the “how“) and the urgency (the “when“) of delivering a solution. The “why” is often driven by a combination of stakeholders, including functional practitioners, visionary practitioners and…

The timespan between the moment that a need has been defined for a human endeavor (the “what“) and the moment that technology has been fashioned (the “how“) to serve that endeavor. The “when” is most often executed by sequential practitioners.

The concise description of a human endeavor, which captures user story(s), workflow(s), feature(s) or capability(s) required to satisfy said endeavor. The “what” is most often articulated by functional practitioners.

The fashioning of technology using machine language, programming languages or infrastructural configurations to serve the utility of a human endeavor. The “how” is most often executed by technical practitioners.

Effort focused on executing against a known challenge or adversary. This type of effort is concerned with the effectiveness of execution using tools, skills and methods. The cognitive context involves a focus on details and fundamentals as opposed to the bigger picture.

Effort focused on analyzing a sought future state or outcome and then evaluating, reasoning and selecting the potential way(s) that this outcome could be reached. This type of effort requires a analytical cognitive context for a person developing the outcome while working alone; and entails participation in collective reasoning and decision-making rituals when working as…

Future cost accrued when past-and-present shortcuts are taken from a technical perspective, including those in design or use of infrastructural components that are suboptimal. Manifests as a present cost beared by technical practitioners, the payments of which come in the form of maintenance due to breakdowns, poor system performance and slowed delivery/deployment cycles.

Future cost associated with past-and-present shortcuts taken from a functional perspective, including lack-of-investment in: sufficient analysis of business risk, change management, business rules, process modeling and full understanding of customer needs Manifests as a cost in the present, beared by functional practitioners, the payments of which come in the form of limitations on innovation and…

Contributor of knowledge and expertise focused on detailing and defining functionality for the fashioning of technology to solve real-world problems. These practitioners are known to focus on the “what” rather than the “how.”

Contributor of knowledge and expertise focused on technology and the inner-workings thereof. These practitioners are known to focus on the “how” rather than the “what.”