The importance of a common language in the requirements defining process

During the requirements defining process, the customer describes the desires, wishes, needs and requirements he has concerning the new data system. These may vary from general “good-to-be” aspects to lists of detailed functions that the system should be able to do. The supplier in his turn tries to translate the free-form verbal descriptions into the form of exact use-cases, terms and clauses. In a survey conducted in 2010, many of the participants mentioned a lack of common language and the misunderstandings caused by this as one of the biggest issues caused by different organization cultures. Not only does each sector have its own jargon, but also inside the sector there may be organizations where words are used in a way that is not common in the sector. Language and the terms used are part of identity. For a company or organization it can be a means to create a sense of solidarity and togetherness. A common jargon inside the organization can also transfer traditions and tacit knowledge from one generation to another. Unless the participants have time to live inside the opposite organization and learn the language there are only a few tools to use to avoid misunderstandings: project glossaries, checklists, audit meetings, and listening to the members of the opposite organization.