How to use this guide
Start with the sentence, not just the term.
This is a fictional example set at Northstar Services. Each entry gives a plain-language meaning, a natural sentence, and the situation where the term is useful.
Terms can carry a different meaning inside a particular team or project. If the surrounding conversation does not fit the entry, ask the speaker which meaning they intend before acting on it.
Terms by initial letter
F–O · A compact sample glossary; example meanings are fictional.
| Term | Meaning and when it is useful | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| First Ten | A short opening check-in used by a project group to surface immediate priorities before its main discussion. Useful when several functions need to align on the day's first decisions. | “Let’s use the First Ten to name the two decisions that need input from both teams.” |
| Kit Ready | A coordination phrase meaning the agreed materials for a planned work session are assembled and available to participants. Useful when confirming preparation, not as a general sign-off on work quality. | “The agenda and sample files are in the shared workspace, so the session is Kit Ready.” |
| Location Circle | A recurring cross-location discussion for comparing local context and surfacing issues that need a shared decision. Useful when a topic affects more than one office or site. | “Bring the changed opening hours to the Location Circle so each site can explain its context.” |
| Open Work Note (OWN) | A concise handoff record that states current context, the next action, and the role expected to pick it up. Useful when work passes between colleagues or teams. | “I added an OWN with the current draft status and the next review step for the receiving team.” |
When a term has more than one reading
Use the surrounding sentence and the work context to tell meanings apart.
Does “OWN” always mean Open Work Note?
No. In this fictional Northstar glossary, OWN means Open Work Note when it names a handoff record. In an ordinary sentence such as “Please own the follow-up,” own is a verb meaning to take responsibility. Capitalization can offer a clue, but the sentence and team context matter more.
What if a colleague uses a term differently?
Ask what they mean in that conversation and whether the meaning is specific to their team or project. For example: “When you say Kit Ready, do you mean the session materials are assembled, or does your team use it differently?” Do not assume a local usage applies company-wide.
What if I cannot find a term here?
Ask the person who used it to explain the term in context. If it appears to be a shared company term, suggest that Internal Communications or the relevant domain reviewer consider adding or clarifying it.
Suggest a correction
Share the term, the sentence where you encountered it, and enough context to identify the team or work setting. Send that information to Internal Communications or the relevant domain reviewer through your organization’s established contact route. They can check the wording with the people who use the term and decide whether the shared entry should change.
Internal Communications is the owner role in this fictional example. A large glossary is best maintained in one authoritative, searchable knowledge source.