Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 4:51 PM
Subject: acronyms and abbreviations dictionary
acronyms and
abbreviations dictionary
free acronyms and abbreviations finder
and definitions - business, training, medical, military, technical, funny -
acronyms and abbreviations meanings
This
is a free acronyms and abbreviations finder, and also a study in language and
communications. This acronyms list contains acronyms and abbreviations, and 'backronyms'
(acronyms constructed restrospectively to fit a word), with origins in the armed
forces, healthcare, IT and various other business and training fields, including
funny lifestyle and social acronyms and abbreviations.
Due
to the increasing popularity of this website and this webpage, the adult
content, and the worst examples of politically incorrect acronyms previously on
this page have been removed.
The
acronyms and abbreviations in this listing can therefore be used for various
purposes: for simple amusement; for finding unknown meanings; for illustrating
and emphasising points that you wish to make in training or speaking or
presentations; and for examples of how language and expressions develop and
evolve. Whatever, acronyms and abbreviations add colour and texture to the
written and spoken word, and to life in general. They are a fascinating
reflection of the development of communications, language and social
attitudes.
Strictly speaking, acronyms are words formed from the
abbreviations of others, but as you'll see, many of these acronyms aren't words
at all, and even some of the best known acronyms like LASER and RADAR have bent
the acronym rules.
Other
acronyms have meanings, usually amusing and ironic, which have been formed in
reverse, ie., by starting with a word, especially a brand name, treating it as
an acronym, and finding words to fit each of the letters, for example the
acronyms ACRONYM
and YAHOO. The
amusing term for these types of acronyms is 'backronyms' (or 'bacronyms'), which
is a portmanteau
word (in this case combining the words 'back' and 'acronym'). Backronyms
feature strongly in the acronyms created from aviation
and airlines and automotive
and car make names, and in corporate name backronyms such as DIAGEO.
acronyms and abbreviations
Acronyms, whether true acronyms or not, and abbreviations, add
colour, fun and interest to our language, and thereby they act as mnemonics, or
memory devices. Many technical and process-related acronyms and abbreviations
greatly assist in memory retention and learning.
Many
acronyms and abbreviations when used properly can certainly enhance
communications, because they act as 'short-hand' and therefore increase the
efficiency of communications; in other words, more meaning is conveyed in less
time and fewer words.
Many
acronyms and abbreviations are also motivational and inspirational for training,
because they contain a special theme, and because the acronym or abbreviation
itself is a mnemonic device (a memory aid). Some of these acronyms and
abbreviations originated as far back as the 1940's (notably the 2nd World War),
and a few probably the early 1900's (notably the 1st World War). Many other
abbreviations listed here are far more recent. Many older acronyms provide
fascinating examples of the development of language and changing cultural
attitudes. Latterly similar dark and cynical humour is evidenced in the
development of acronyms and abbreviations relating to the field of customer
service, especially in the contexts of IT and healthcare, for which an
additional healthcare
acronyms listing appears below separately, due to its richness and
diversity.... Also, increasingly, lifestyle groupings and demographics profiles
are providing fertile subject matter for acronyms, and again, a separate listing
of lifestyle
and demographics acronyms appears below.
When
using acronyms and abbreviations for serious and intentionally open
communications ensure that definitions and meanings are understood or explained,
or the acronym defeats its own purpose. It's advisable that if using acronyms in
reports and other important communications, such as instructions, manuals,
procedures, and training materials, you should include a glossary of acronyms
and abbreviations, which hopefully enables the audience to understand the
meanings involved.
Automotive
acronyms (actually these are 'backronyms', since they are retrospective
constructions), lifestyle/demographics
profiles acronyms and healthcare
acronyms are listed in separate sections below. Some of these acronyms and
'backronyms' also appear with more details and explanations in the main acronyms
listing.
acronyms and
abbreviations main listing
acronyms, abbreviations, menmonics, bacronyms for learning and
amusement
A2O
Apples To Oranges.
Acronym to highlight any inappropriate comparison; a modern shorthand for 'chalk
and cheese'.
A2HS
Age, Build, Clothes,
Distinguishing marks, Elevation, Face, Gait, Hair, Sex. Acronym used by UK
armed forces and services staff for identifying people involved in incidents or
crime.
AAA
Alive, Alert,
Aggressive. One of very many triple-A acronyms. Somewhat macho but catchy
nevertheless, and not a bad rallying call for self or team in a variety of
situations (visit to the dentist, disaster de-debriefing with scary CEO, public
speaking pep-talk, etc.) Apparently originated in the Seal Cove fishing
community on Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick... (Ack G
Myers) And by way of extending the theme:
AAAA
Association Against
Acronym Abuse. (Ack P Vallee).
ABC
Always Be Closing.
Traditional selling process acronym which emphasises the need to be continually
moving the customer towards action and agreement within sales discussions (ack T
Rowe). ABC (along with ABC1) also refers to the JICNARS demographics system of social grades classifications.
ABCD
Above and Beyond the
Call of Duty. Whether this acronym originated in the armed services is not
clear. These days it is just as applicable to the civilian work environment, and
particularly the need to ensure a healthy work-life-balance. A reminder also for
all managers and corporations that people who go the extra mile, beyond normal
expectations, are to be treasured and suitably rewarded, not exploited. (ack T
Rowe)
Abbreviated Coded Rendition Of Name Yielding
Meaning. Fine example of the 'backronym'
art and very apt for near top of the list. Great for dinner parties and
smart-asses. (Ack. Ralph Johnston.)
Absurdly Contrived
Representations Of Names Yielding Mass Stupefication. As above.. (Ack A
Brady)
ACORN
A Classification Of
Residential Neighbourhoods. Acronym for the CACI Ltd research organization's
system of demographics classifications, used for consumer marketing in the UK.
More
about ACORN and other demographics classifications. In the US, ACORN also
stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now,
which claims to be the USA's largest community organization representing
low-income and moderate-income families, "...working together for social justice
and stronger communities..."
Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation,
Evaluation. The process of
innovation, any field at all. Deviate from it at your peril. (Ack. Don
Clark)
AEIOU DDD
Apoplexy, Epilepsy, Injury, Opium or other drugs, Uraemia, Dead
Drunk and Diabetes. Medical acronym and useful mnemonic for remembering the
different possible diagnoses of unconsciousness. (Ack Dr
Duffield)
Another Flipping Learning Opportunity.
A big mistake or onerous task. (Ack JC)
AFOL
All Fine On Leaving. (ODSA) Nurses
abbreviation on patient notes.
Ask
For The Order. The 'psychological imperative' and one of the most important rules
of selling, despite which, millions of sales people usually forget
it.
AGA
Acute Gravity Attack. (ODSA) In other words, the patient
fell over, from Nova Scotia orthopaedics and no doubt used elsewhere. See also
PAFO. (Ack KP)
AHOYA
Asshole Of The Year Award. From the consumer electrical
equipment repair industry, although widely applicable elsewhere. An amusing
acronym which all decent folk can privately enjoy when faced with irrational,
threatening, anti-social behaviour and those exhibiting it, be they ignorant
customers, bullying bosses, or aggressive next-door-neighbours, etc. (ack PM
Christian)
Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. If your sales, advertising or any effort
designed to motivate others to action doesn't follow this sequence it won't
succeed. Also extended version AIDCA - the 'C' is for Commitment or Conviction
(on the part of the customer or audience). Also known as the Hierarchy of
Effects, but HOE doesn't have quite the same ring as
AIDA.
AKA
Also Known As. An remarkable acronym that's now so well
established that it's virtually become a word, and certainly requires no
reference to the original source words to be immediately understood. Aka is
truly up there with the all-time great acronyms like radar, scuba, quango and
yuppie.
A Kick Up The
Arse. Motivational method of
debatable value and limited use, rarely well timed or utilized (see the Aristotle
quote about anger). In any event AKUTA is generally more effective when
self-administered.
Always Listen First. Obviously great
for training sessions generally, also counselling, customer service, selling,
etc, and relationships overall. (Ack. M Booth)
ALITALIA
Airplane Lands In Turin And Luggage In
Ancona. Air travel acronym (strictly speaking a 'backronym'
or 'bacronym') for those frustrating lost luggage moments. The metaphor is
universal of course, although there would be certain destinations that could
substitute and fit perfectly: Turkey, Tangiers, Australia, Alaska, etc. (Ack M
Janes) Alternative meaning Always Late In Take-off Always Late In Arrival
(Ack Chin). N.B. No offence intended towards Alitalia organization - these terms
are generic and for comment on air travel experiences in general. More aviation
acronyms are in the airlines
acronyms list.
A Learning Opportunity. Generally
something you'd rather not do that someone else has decided will be 'good for
you'... (Ack. JC)
All Mouth And Trousers. Acronym version
of an old English expression. See also BHNC.
AOX3
Alert, Oriented times 3 (person, place,
time). Nurses' and doctors shorthand used on patients' notes; this acronym
transfers especially well to training sessions, to highlight the characteristics
of someone fully alert and aware (and paying attention to the tutor). See also
MEGO.
All-Points Bulletin. The classic USA
police alert, as featured at least fifty times in every single episode of Hawaii
Five-O, Cagney and Lacey, Kojak, Starsky and
Hutch....
Attentive, Peripheral,
Empathic. The three main types of
listening. Empathic listening is the skill of understanding meaning and motive
in another's words, a considerably powerful ability.
Annualised Revenues Per User. ARPU is a favourite and
fundamental financial measure used by the big consumer services corporations,
especially the massive global corporations in the broadcast, telephony and
internet sectors. ARPU basically represents the average sales or billing value
that the corporation is able to extract from each customer in a year. ARPU in
the collective and inter-related markets of telephony, entertainment,
information, internet connectivity and broadcast is likely to be threatened by
the progressive development and availability of free or low-cost technology and
content, the growth of which is arguably bound to squeeze the life out of some
very large traditional profit-driven corporations now caught between two
irresistible market forces: at one end by the free user-based content enabled by
the world wide web, and at the other end by free broadband connectivity (and
subsequent technologies) enabled by local and national schemes to establish free
high-speed big-capacity 'wi-fi' access for everyone, on the basis that such
infrastructure is vital for local and national competitiveness. This battle for
control of content and internet distribution - now under way - will become one
of the defining global issues of the modern age.
ART
Assuming Room Temperature. Paramedic term for the condition
of a patient when all hope is gone, ie., dead. Technically only a physician can
declare someone dead, so the paramedics use this acronym to get around the
protocol, not least when absence of life would be obvious to even a blind
gerbil. In this context, 'assuming room temperature' means that since the
patient is dead their body is no longer regulating its own temperature and
instead is 'assuming the temperature of the ambient'. (Ack T
Easton)
ASK
Activity, Skills, Knowledge. Super acronym for training and
development, especially sales and account management, since these three
components are essential for success and productive performance. Arguably the
order should be Knowledge, Skills, Activity, as this would be the order of
training, but 'SKA' doesn't have quite the same ring. Alternative interpretation
especially for roles where activity is reactive rather than proactively
motivated, can be Attitude, Skills, Knowledge. (Ack
RC)
ASTRO
Always Stating The Really Obvious. Various uses at work and
play. Similar to calling a person 'Captain Obvious', which is very amusing as
well. See also STBO. (Ack D)
ATNA
All Talk No Action. See also
BHNC.
Absent Without Leave. Military acronym, which implied a few
days in the punishment block for the absconder when apprehended, the expression
is now well established in life generally and applied to any missing, lost or
wandered-off person or item causing breach of rules or mere inconvenience. An
alternative meaning (ack A Gow) of AWOL applies in the healthcare
industry as an abbreviation on patients' notes: All Well On
Leaving.
Away With The Fairies. Medical/healthcare acronym from the
ODSA stable. No longer politically correct in the clinical arena, this term is
used on notes or charts to denote a patient who is in a confused or demented
state. Doctors and nurses should use with extreme care, if at all, as it has
become commonly known in recent years and relatives tend to get a little miffed.
Having said which, the term is perfectly apt in the boardroom or shop floor if
referring to senile old directors grimly hanging on to their old fashioned
notions, as well as their dead men's shoes. (Ack Richard
Beard)
B2B
Business To Business. Widely used business- and
marketing-speak, describing a trading model where a business supplies other
businesses. B2C is logially therefore Business To Consumer;
B2G is Business To Government, and then it gets really
silly: B2E is Business To Everybody; B2A is Business To
Anybody; and B2B2C is Business To Business To
Consumer.
BANANA
Built Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone. Partner
acronym and ideal next stage to NIMBY. (Ack D
Bodycombe)
Bang Another Nuisance Job Out. Sister acronym to JFDI. For
those irksome tasks that won't go away, no matter how long you leave them at the
bottom of the in-tray. (Ack. Julie Bramhall)
BASIC
Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. Acronym
name for the early computer programming language. Makes a good quiz question.
(Ack R Leviton) See also COBOL.
BDU
Brain Dead User. Covert IT
technical support staff acronym to describe a human failing instead of equipment
or software fault. When you next hear reference to a BDU error, ask for an
explanation... (Ack NM) See also ID10T, PEBCAK and PICNIC.
Behaviour, Effect,
Expectation, Results. The headings by which to assess
performance of anything, particularly a new initiative. A great discipline when
working with a team or delegating another to conduct a review, when it's
importnat to keep the review focused. (Ack. Don Clark)
BENDWIMP
Beliefs, Evidence, Needs, Desires, Wounds, Interests, Mentors,
Proud of. A model, typically used as a table or template or matrix for
identifying motivations and issues of stakeholders within a project plan. This
has the look of something that could be protected intellectual property but
there seems to be no indication of where and when the the BENDWIMP acronym first
appeared and who devised it. If you know please tell
me.
Big
Hairy-Arsed Goal. The polite version 'Big Hairy Audacious Goal' doesn't have
quite the same ring to it (no pun intended). (Ack M Cook) Provides an additional
interpretation (and emphasises the WIIFM
motivational theory) of the word 'bag' when used to refer to someone's area of
interest or expertise, for example, when turning down an offer or opportunity
with the response, "Not my Bhag I'm afraid...."
Big
Hat No Cattle. What a great expression. The abbreviation is all the more
amusing because it looks like some kind of highly official certificate for the
construction or maritime industry. See also AMAT and FCNK.
BIAT
Boss Is A Twit/Twerp/etc. Toned down a little. No nonsense
here... one of the more direct modern workplace acronyms. (Ack R
Biggs)
Break It Down.
When training anything to anybody never teach the whole
thing all at once. Break the skill or process down to digestible parts. This
will avoid destroying confidence, and enable gradual progress to the point that
the whole thing can be practiced.
Base-Line Test.
More boring and less tasty alternative to the more common
usage - Bacon Lettuce and Tomato (sandwich). (Ack. Don Clark)
Before My Time. If you are a new broom trying to sweep
clean, this is a useful response to the 'we've always done it that way' school
of thought. In other words, 'that was then and this is now'. (Ack. M
Paretski)
Bitch, Moan and Whine/Whinge. Behaviour that can be
exhibited by a group when stressed, demotivated or unhappy with their situation.
Also a common subject area in meetings where the purpose and facilitation
perhaps requires a more a positive focus or perspective. (Ack Denise) If you are
a manager or team leader and ever find yourself having to handle a BMW session,
give the group encouragement, responsibility and suitable freedom to identify
and pursue constructive response, change and improvement. Focus on positive
response rather than blame. Here are a couple of helpful quotes in this
connection: "You have a choice whether to be part of the steam roller or part of
the road.." (unknown) and "If
you're not part of the solution you must be part of the problem.." (the
commonly paraphrased version of the original quote: "What we're saying today is
that you're either part of the solution, or you're part of the problem.." by
Eldridge Cleaver 1935-98, founder member and information minister of the Black
Panthers, American political activist group, in a speech in 1968). More relevant
motivational quotes are on the quotes page. BMW is also interpreted in some police circles
(ack P&J) as Break My Windows, being a reflection of the car make's
tendency to attract envious attack, either through envy or because the mark is a
favourite among gangsters who attract aggressive attentions. Additionally (ack
Ed P) BMW is interpreted to form other ironic meanings such as the somewhat
offensive Built by Migrant Workers; the irresitibly smile-inducing
Big-up My Willy, and probably funniest of all to the folk who
particularly dislike the make and what they think it stands for: Bought
Mainly by Wankers. There are some other automotive-related interpretations
of BMW in the automotive
aconyms list, interestingly including (ack G Boyle) Bersten Mal
Wieder, which is apparently used by German folk, and means 'Bust Again'.
BOAC
Better On A Camel. Younger viewers perhaps will not know
the old BOAC airline, which officially stood for British Overseas Airways
Corporation. BOAC was the British state airline from 1939-74, after which it
merged with BEA (British European Airways) to become British Airways. (ack ET)
More aviation acronyms are in the airlines
acronyms list below.
BOBFOC
Body Off Baywatch, Face Off Crimewatch. Nightclub and
dating vernacular, and not gender specific. (Ack. JHB)
Belief, Optimism, Courage, Conviction, Action. For the
process of change. (Ack. M Cook)
Buy One Get One For
Free. Marketingspeak, but also great for emphasising the
need for creative thinking to achieve cost-effective, high perceived value
promotional selling.
Bend Over, Here It Comes Again.
A fine motto for all who suffer under incompetent management. If you're a
Theory-X manager (see Douglas McGregor X-Y Theory), your staff will regularly use
this in your honour. For a free BOHICA colour poster see the free businessballs posters page. And if you are a CEO and you
begin to see a few BOHICA posters appearing around the place, then perhaps start
asking yourself some questions about your organisational culture and management
style.. (thanks to Ralph Johnston for suggesting this
acronym.)
BOHOF
Back Of Hand On Forehead. For those BOHOF
moments.
Balanced, Observed, Objective, Specific, Timely, Enhancing,
Relevant. Useful acronym for coaching and giving feedback to people. If
anyone knows the origins please tell me. (Ack C Lloyd)
BOSCARDET
Background, Objectives, Scope, Constraints, Assumptions,
Reporting, Dependencies, Estimates, Timescales. Very useful acronym for
inception of projects, committees, investigations (inquiries), studies, reports,
etc, where purpose, parameters and ground-rules etc., have to be established. It
was/is used (apparently originally by Hoskyns, who later became Cap Gemini) as a
reminder of the headings for a terms of reference document. (Ack J
O'Connor)
BPO
Business Process Outsourcing. An acronym from recent times,
covering a multitude of activities that are commonly outsourced today, for
example, call centre and customer services, IT, HR and training, telemarketing,
recruitment, health and safety, quality assurance and accreditation,
manufacturing, logistics, sales and promotion, R&D, and pretty well anything
else that a corporation might have considered a core function before outsourcing
came along. I'm wondering when the first example of an outsourced board of
directors will be seen....
Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Nothing. Decision-making
aid, applicable and useful for all sorts of situations. What are the benefits
and risks from a particular course of action or option or default? What are the
alternatives (also considering their benefits and risks)? And finally always
remember that there is the option to do nothing, which on occasions can be the
best thing. (Ack A Jones)
BTP
British Transport Police. More amusingly the acronym
allegedly takes on an alternative meaning among certain transport staff who
translate instead to mean Be There Presently (or Possibly or Potentially)
when enquiry demand from customers exceeds the staff resource that is available
to respond. (Ack AB)
BTW
By
The Way. One of the most commonly used abbreviations today, meaning
'incidentally' or 'in passing', and, BTW, originally meaning 'by the way of a
secondary subject or matter', which was earlier shortened to 'by the bye', which
has now almost passed out of use. 'By the way' is referenced in 1870's Brewer,
so it's not a recent expresssion.
Bankrupt Unemployed Rejected Person. Never use this, just
try to be kind and understanding. See Maslow.
BVA
Breathing Valuable Air. (ODSA) Apparently used in Los
Angeles by nurses as a comment about less deserving patients. Amusing and highly
efficient, and transferable to a wide variety of situations. (Ack
KT)
BWS
Beached Whale Syndrome. (ODSA) Nurses and doctors shorthand
acronym.
CADET
Can't Add, Doesn't Even Try. Assessment acronym for the
numerically and motivationally challenged.
CAP
Cover All Possibilities. Versatile training and planning
acronym. A more polite mnemonic than the P6
expression. (Thanks L Woodhouse).
Chief Has Arrived On Scene. From
the Fire Rescue Service in Georgia US, and no doubt used elsewhere too. If not
then it should be. For interferring bosses everywhere. (Ack J
Attison)
CLAMPS
Challenge, Location, Advancement, Money, Pride (or Prestige),
Security. Employment and recruitment industry acronym: the six acceptable
reasons for leaving your job if asked why in a job interview, cited by MJ Yate
(interview guru and author). See the job interviews
questions and answers page.
Career Limiting Move. A reminder to think twice before
embarking on any action that has an obvious whiff of disaster about it. (Ack R
Gesling and S Phillips)
COBOL
COmmon Business Orientated Language. Acronym-derived name
for the early computer language. (Ack. RL) See also
BASIC.
Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment.
Relatively modern supply chain management term, sometimes more fully expressed
as CPFDR (Collaborative Planning, Forecasting Demand and Replenishment).
Alternatively and less likely: Continuance Policy - Domestic Relations Division
(related to legal process in Philadelphia County USA). Or it's also a US
Engineering qualification, or a microbiological term for a Mitochondrial-type
Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase, when it would be shown as
CpFdR.
Cost Per Thousand, Cost Per Inquiry and Cost Per
Conversion. Advertising terms and crucial measures of
advertising and selling performance. CPT refers to the cost of reaching each
thousand people of the target audience with the advertising message. CPI is the
cost of each inquiry received, ie total advertising cost divided by the number
of inquiries received. CPC is the total cost of each converted sale. Lowest CPT
doesn't necessarily produce the lowest CPI, neither CPC. Lowest CPI
doesn't necessarily produce lowest CPC. Conversion ratios or percentages between
CPT, CPI and CPC are what count.
Can't Remember A Flipping Thing.
This acronym has various uses: for example Monday morning
after Glastonbury or the Prague stag/hen weekend; those 'Senior' moments
experienced by folk of advancing years. Or a tedious training course or meeting,
or one of those awful 'pep up the workers' roadshow presentations by the new
board of directors. (Ack L Speden, R
Dale)
CSR
Corporate Social Responsibility. A
central aspect of capability and process within all all good organizations, and
one of several related concepts within the 'ethical organisations'
philosophy.
CT
Cerca Trova. Latin for 'Seek and and
you shall find'. Highly civilised and academic alternative to GAAFOFY,
and WIOFYFS.
CTD
Circling the Drain. Healthcare acronym.
Technically and originally Close To Death. Transferable to a wide variety
of lost causes. (Ack L Russell)
CUOA
Compulsive Use Of
Acronyms. Not
guilty....... There is the true story of the meeting that took place in a
particular government office to discuss the effects of EMU. Some considerable
time into the meeting it was discovered that half of the participants thought
they were there to discuss the European Monetary Union, while the other half
were thinking about Environmental Monitoring and Utilisation. (With thanks to
Kevin Thomas.)
Defining Advertising
Goals for Measured Advertising Results. The principle
that the effectiveness of advertising can only be measured if the aims of the
advertising are clearly specified before it takes place.
DELTA
Doesn't Ever Leave The Airport. Sardonic reverse acronym at
the Delta airline's expense. I'm sure they are every bit as punctual as all the
other airlines... See the airlines
and aviation backronyms list. (Ack M Navaroli)
DIAGEO
Don't Expect Any Great Employment Opportunities. Not true
of course... See the full entry in the corporation
backronyms ('corporanyms') list.
Do It Now. See JFDI.... For procrastinators everywhere. As the famous quote
says: 'We all know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road.
They get run over..' (Aneurin Bevan).
DINA
Description Is Not Analysis. Simple yet profoundly useful
acronym for anyone involved in helping others to think and interpret rather than
simply paraphrase or describe. Commonly used by teachers when encouraging
students to be more creative in answering questions. Readily transfers to
corporate training and evaluation, business report writing, strategic planning,
etc. (Ack Leena Cohen)
Double Income No Kids Yet. The only people these days who
can remotely afford to buy a few bricks of and a couple of fence panels towards
their first house. The Y for 'yet' was a later addition based on the pluralised
DINKIES version of the base DINK expression.
Define opportunity,
Measure performance, Analyse opportunity, Improve performance, Control
performance. The Six Sigma process improvement model, used by Six Sigma
project teams, as defined by Motorola Inc. An acronym - or strictly an
abbreviation - from the 1980's. One would have expected that such an
all-conquering management movement, as Six Sigma seems now to be, could have
come up with a more memorable mnemonic...
Deoxyribonucleic
Acid, represented by the famous double helix, and the Human Genome Project
which successfully mapped human DNA in 2003. DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) was
first identified in salmon sperm by Friedrich Miescher in 1869, and was
generally accepted to carry genetic code of all living things following the
published work of Crick and Watson in 1953. A mischievous alternative
interpretation to the usual meaning of DNA is National Dyslexia
Association, which is of course cruel, but does offer the opportunity to
explain a little about Dyslexia, which is widely misunderstood. As regards the
word Dyslexia, its meaning, 'difficulty with words' is derived from Greek (lexis
is Greek for speech), and that's what it means - it does not mean that the
person is daft or stupid, in fact often the opposite is closer to the truth.
Dyslexia is often called a gift, since for many 'sufferers' that's what it is.
Interestingly as many as 10% of people at work are thought could suffer with
this disability to one extent or another (source: British Dyslexia
Association - not the National Dyslexia Association, which is a made-up
organisation to fit the acronym). A couple of things of note: Dyslexia is
technically a disability as well as a 'gift', so employers quite rightly have to
make appropriate allowances for sufferers or risk falling foul of disability and
discrimination laws; secondly dyslexia sufferers commonly have special strengths
resulting from the way their brains work, notably in problem-solving,
innovation, creativity, trouble-shooting, entrepreneurialsism, intuitive
feelings and judgements, sport, politics, and artistic expression of various
sorts. Famous dyslexics include Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Alexander
Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, David Bailey, General
George Patton, Robin Williams, John Lennon, Nigel Kennedy, Cher, Muhammad Ali,
Steve Redgrave, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson, John F
Kennedy, Richard Branson, Henry Ford, William Hewlett, Charles Schwab, Tom
Cruise, Keanu Reeves, Erin Brockovich - see, it's a gift. Employers, teachers,
and individuals seeking more information should visit the BDA website.
Dignity and Respect At Work. Acronym mnemonic for workplace
culture, attitude, behaviour, values, etc. (Ack M
Andrews)
Dedication, Responsibility, Education, Attitude, Motivation.
The DREAM acronym seems to feature particularly on rubber wrist bands, and
is now linked with Kevin Carroll, former NBA trainer, motivational speaker and
author. According to Steve Wulf, an executive editor of ESPN's The Magazine (Oct
2005), "... Carroll, working at Nike at the time, noticed that clear DREAM bands
were being put as giveaways in boxes of Kevin Garnett shoes..... Carroll asked
if he could use them in the motivational talks he gave at schools and camps.
Part of his spiel, in fact, had to do with the acronym DREAM: 'Dedication,
Responsibility, Education, Attitude, Motivation.' Pretty soon, Carroll was
handing them out by the thousands..." Also according to Wulf, the wristband
penomenon can be traced back to the 1960's, when it was "just a series of rubber
bands that urban basketball players put on their wrists as both a fashion
statement and a shooting aid.... every athlete was wearing elastic cloth-covered
wristbands.... But it wasn't until 2001 that the fashion statement took on some
meaning.. "
DRIB
Don't Read If Busy. Only the email generation could have
developed the need for such an acronym....
DRIVE
Define, Review, Identify, Verify, Execute. Influential and
useful acronym within the Quality
Management field. (See Quality
Management process improvement tools.)
Digital Rights Management. DRM might seem one of the most
boring abbreviations in this list, but Digital Rights Management is a hugely
far-reaching issue. Digital Rights Management is basically the means by which
intellectual property (IP) is protected and its usage is controlled. This
particularly applies to intellectual property of the digital age: music, film,
news, and arguably more significantly: information, software, and technology.
The implications of Digital Rights Management extend ultimately to the way that
knowledge and created works of all sorts are spread and made available around
the world, the process of which of course contributes to the development of
human civilisation. The 'web 2.0' age of the internet (community-generated
content and technology provision and sharing) is now challenging how we all
think and behave towards intellectual property. The internet offers
unprecedented opportunities for sharing knowledge and extending access to
created works of all sorts, whereas many IP owners and exploiters have an
entirely different priority, namely profit. The transference of knowledge and
technology among people around the world, and from one generation to the next,
is what determines human progress. And yet typical corporate interpretations of
DRM essentially seek to frustrate this process. Where DRM is restrictive and
greedy, so knowledge and human advancement are suppressed. Where DRM is open and
giving, so knowledge and advancement are expansive. The begs certain questions
of IP owners and also of those who might challenge their behaviour and motives.
For example, to what extent can people and organisations who have already made
vast fortunes from their intellectual property be a little more willing to share
for free? Could multi-billionaires start helping the world earlier, before
accumulating such an incomprehensible level of personal wealth? Does
accumulating money and power and corporate success make people mean and greedy,
or are they mean and greedy to start with, and that's what makes them so
effective at protecting and exploiting what they create? What is most important:
making a ton of money, or making the most of what you can offer the world? These
and other unfathomable questions will not be answered here and now, but in the
way future generations look back on it all. And anyway, will anyone actually
want to pay money for Cliff Richard's music in 80 years
time?..
DRT
Dead Right There. (ODSA) Doctors and nurses shorthand
acronym for a patient found dead at the scene.
DRTTTT
Dead Right There, There, There, and There. (ODSA) Nurses
and doctors abbreviation, as DRT above, but used for pedestrian-train incidents.
This outrageous acronym is an example of the human species' tendency to use
humour when dealing with horrific trauma.
Dead Right There And Going To Stay That Way. Extended
version of DRT used by certain US police and fire-rescue personnel in incidents
involving catastrophic injuries. (Ack J Attison)
E&OE
Errors and Omissions Excepted. Shorthand disclaimer notice,
used as a rider at the bottom of invoices and other documents with potentially
legal and contractual implications. Effectively means that no liability is
accepted for mistakes and omissions. (Ack. N Whiteley)
EBITDA
Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and
Amortization. One of a series of esoteric 'EB' (Earnings Before..) financial
acronyms, eg, EBT = Earnings Before Taxes; EBIAT = Earnings Before Interest
after Taxes; EBIT = Earnings Before Interest and Taxes; EBITD = Earnings Before
Interest, Taxes and Depreciation; and the completely unrelated EBRD = European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development. (Earnings are profits from operating
and non-operating activities.) More financial terms and definitions on the financial terms
and acronyms section.
EDINBURGH
Elated Darling, I'm Near, Book Usual Room, Grand Hotel.
Lovers code from way back. You see, people have been using social and flirting
short-hand for generations - before texting was ever imagined, see also SWALK,
NORWICH, etc.
Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale. Retail acronym.
Extension of EPOS (Electronic Point Of Sale), whereby the retailer or seller
point of sale system allows payment by electronic credit or debit method via
connection to a central banking agency. (Ack L Starkey)
Evaluate, Plan, Action,
Check, Amend. And so on.... The helix of continuous
improvement.
Electronic Point Of Sale. The retail industry term for
auto-readers - normally of bar-codes - at store checkout tills. EPOS caused a
retail revolution, enabling massive advantages for retailers and sellers,
including automated stock control and re-ordering, sales tracking, market
research, staff de-skilling, customer service, customer spending profiling and
loyalty card systems. Sometimes referred to as EPS. See also
EFTPOS.
ERCP
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatoscopy. (ODSA)
Healthcare acronym. A way of examining the bile ducts/gall bladder and
pancreatic ducts using an endoscope. However, if a newly admitted patient dies
suddenly before they have been examined ('clerked') by the ward doctor, the
'admission' notes may be written up post-mortem (after they should have been, in
other words), in which case the acronym takes on a more mischievious
interpretation: Emergency Retrograde Clerking of Patient. (ack
ET)
ESO
Equipment Superior to Operator. Coded acronym written on a
work-order by a technician that means 'There's nothing wrong with this equipment
- the problem is the owner.' See also PEBCAK, BDU, PICNIC, UBAD. (ack PM
Christian)
Everything To Attract Men. It was suggested to me a while
ago that this is the origin of the ladies fashionwear chain name. It isn't, but
it's an amusing acronym all the same. I am grateful to Alain Xhignesse for
explaining that ETAM in fact derived from the company name ETAblissements Mayer,
which in 1916 created the first ETAM store - a hosiery boutique in Germany -
which later grew into the famous ETAM chain.
Features, Advantages,
Benefits. A widely used selling techniques acronym
within the traditional selling process and related sales training. People are
more interested in what improvements a product or service will bring rather than
a description of what is being sold. While modern sales methods have eclipsed
the significance of the FAB principle, the fact remains: it's more important to
focus on what a proposition will do for the listener, beyond merely what the
proposition is.
Fecal Air Rectally Transmitted. Daft and amusing
restrospectively devised acronym, so it's technically a 'backronym'.
The word fart in fact is derived from Old High German 'ferzan' (pronounced
fertsan) from older Germanic roots 'fertan', both of which are clearly
onomatopoeic (sounds like what it is), as is the modern-day word, unchanged in
English since the 1200's. Words and language might change over time, but the
sound of a fart is one of life's more enduring features.
Final Acceptance
Testing. Marketing or product development technical
term. Crucial stage often overlooked by egocentric owner-managers and corporate
chieftens, expensive designers and advertising agencies, politicians and
millennium commissioners, etc, who become seduced by their own magnificence, and
make disasterous assumptions on behalf ordinary people who then decide not to
buy/vote/turn up etc. (Ack. Don Clark)
Failing Better Offer. A caviat for many occasions -
business negotiating, social diaries, time management and planning, quality
management, percentage management - a great alternative to simply saying maybe
or perhaps, or yes, when you really mean FBO. (Ack. Ben Ball)
Fur
Coat No Knickers. And with similar meanings, see also BHNC and AMAT. (Ack M
Price)
Forget Everything and Run. One of the best reverse acronyms
ever devised (bacronym is the modern term). (Ack A Davice) It's what happens
when the fear response takes over, and the primative brain switches to
auto-pilot. Great for presentations training and 'training the trainer', to
emphasise why nobody ever does anything really well under extreme stress except
shut down. Alternative acronym meaning if you want to suggest that 'it's all in
the mind': False Evidence Appearing Real (Ack Zig
Ziglar).
Forget It and Drive
On. An acronym made populr by
motivational writer and speaker Zig Ziglar. Dwelling on past disappointments or
seeking revenge is self-destructive. It's far better to concentrate effort on
the next challenge. See also SUMO and BUFFS.
Fart In A Trance. Every organization has a person who seems
to be perpetually in FIAT mode. Most of us experience being in this state at
least a couple of times a week, especially Mondays after heavy weekend, or while
captive in corporate presentations or boring training sessions. Alternative to
MEGO. (Ack Tony Lomas)
First In First Out. Originally an accounting term, to provide a
convention for writing down the balance sheet value of assets of the same type.
Apply it to any situation where the oldest go first and the newest stay longest;
rather like the HR policies of many large organizations...
First In Last Out. Again originally an
accounting term for depreciation practice, whereby the oldest assets are the
last to be written off. The term has wider applications, particularly rock
festival car parks, overcrowded tube trains and airport
buses.
FILTH
Failed In London, Try Hong-Kong. Before
handover of Hong-Kong by the UK to China in 1999, this acronym sardonically
reflected the treatment by certain multi-national employers of under-performing
or out-of-favour staff. (Ack JW)
Flip I’m Good, Just Ask Me. Superb
acronym with Australian origins for show-offs and big-heads everywhere. Ideal
code for referring to person or behaviour when someone holds a very high opinion
of themselves, through self-delusion, arrogance, or because they happen to be
held in unreasonably high esteem by a superior. '...he's full of FIGJAM...' (Ack
NB)
FINE
Fanatical, Insecure, Neurotic and
Emotional. Alternative ironic acronym response to the universal question,
'How are you?.....' (Ack D Jenkins). FINE carries an alternative meaning:
Feelings Inside Not Expressed, notably in the context of attitude,
communications, coaching, life-change, etc. People commonly respond to the
question, "How are you?" by saying "Fine," when they perhaps are anything but
fine. (Ack K Freeman)
FIRE
Find Inform Restrict Extinguish. One of
those wonderful acronyms in which the new word actully relates to the subject;
this one for student fire-fighters, and anybody else for that matter, since it
represents the essential rules and process of dealing with fires. (Ack
JH)
FISH
First In Stays Here. Stock control
expression, similar to FIST. (Ack A Chapman - no
relation)
FISH &
CHIPS
Fighting In Someone's House & Causing
Havoc In People's Streets. Army infantry acronym for urban
warfare.
FIST
First In Stays There. Financial and
stock-holding term, describing the practice of not rotating the stock, so that
the first pieces of stock stay in stock and 'on the books' for ever. (Ack J
Taylor)
FLA
Four Letter Acronym. Arguable
contradiction in terms, and companion acronym for TLA. See also UTLA and
UFLA.
Funny Looking Kid.
(ODSA). Used by medical and healthcare folk to describe an
infant or newborn whose looks are unlikely to provide a passport to fame and
fortune. Perhaps (aside from dark humour at work) this is a manifestation of
some sort of envy, given that 'funny looking kids' often grow to be some of the
loveliest people you could ever wish to meet. Where we fear and ridicule funny
looking people, deep down perhaps we see in them a strength and resolve that
normal looking folk don't possess, because we've never had to. (Ever read Mary
Shelly's Frankenstein?...)
FLKFLP
Funny Looking Kid,
Funny Looking Parents. Healthcare acronym. See above. (Ack S
Pennington)
Fat
Little Ugly Fellow. Polite version. For a short boss with Napoleonic
syndrome. (Ack D Harrison)
FLOFTUS
First Lady OF The United States. Acronym for the
president's wife, used by Whitehouse staff according to Richard Clarke, in
preference to the more obvious and widely referenced FLOTUS. It's a mystery why
the F is employed - perhaps FLOTUS means something else as well? Answers on a
postcard please...
Fast Moving Consumer
Goods. Nothing to do with skills development, just an
acronym that lots of people have heard and don't know what it
means.
FOAK
First Of A Kind. An acronym to illustrate the development
or attainment of uniqueness, relevant to developing sales and business
propositions, USP's and value-added offerings. (Ack PL) See also
GOAT.
FOBIO
Frequently Outwitted By Inanimate Objects. Ideal for anyone
struggling with one of those ridiculous picnic tables, flat-pack self-assembly
furniture, crisis situations caused by errant cars, computers, mobile phones,
and the ultimate FOBIO challenge - removing the cellophane from a new CD.
FOCUS(ED)
Futuristic Observation Creates Unique Solutions (Enabling
Development). Training and presentations acronym to emphasise that vision is
essential for creating unique solutions and development. (Ack PL)
Free On Board. FOB is an import/export term relating to the
point (outgoing port or airport usually) at which responsibility for goods,
insurance, and costs of transport, passes from seller (exporter) to buyer
(importer). The FOB expression originates from the meaning that the buyer is
free of liability up to the point that the goods are loaded on board the ship.
In recent years FOB is used less specifically, even to the extent that other
meanings are inferred from the acronym, most commonly Freight On Board
(which appears in many online dictionaries and acronyms listings), and I've also
heard of Fixed On Board. These distortions reflect the fact that the FOB
principle is not readily recognised or understood by the Free On Board
original (and quite old) meaning. When language doesn't make obvious sense
people are apt to change it, which is how language evolves, which is okay so
long as explanations are given. If you use or hear the term it's sensible to
clarify precise meaning. More
explanation about FOB in the financial terms section.
Free Of Charge. Widely used acronym promising a good deal,
however see TANSTAAFL.
Focus On Reducing Costs Everywhere. From USA industry. An
acronym that can be applied anywhere. Perhaps not the most progressive strategy
ever invented, but sometimes necessary and helpful, provided the cost-cutting
does not prevent activities that would otherwise bring good and fast returns on
investment, and also provided that the long-term well-being of operations and
people are not sacrificed. (Ack P Lock)
FORD
Found On Roadside, Dead. Apt and amusing acronym (backronym
actually) to describe a project, idea, etc., not worth bothering with, due to
high probabilty of ultimate failure. A quick explanation for not pursuing the
non-viable. An excellent reminder of the need to invest one's time productively.
(Ack D Compton) Alternatively, in relation to the car make, Found On Rubbish
Dump. (Ack T Day). Alterntively and amusingly: Fix Or Repair Daily
(Ack AJ), or arguably a more grammatically correct expression Fix Or Replace
Daily (Ack SM). Then there is Flip Over, Read Directions, also
First On Race Day, and how about For Outstanding Reliability and
Dependability... (ack PL) See further automotive
acronyms.
FUD
Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Acronym from the marketing
world, in which propositions leveraged by FUD create additional motivation for
the target audience to buy or act - for example Y2K computer scare stories,
various types of insurance, extended warranties and guarantees, security and
surveillance offerings; typically most preventative products and services.
(Thanks M Adamson)
Go
Away And Find Out For Yourself. A motto for self-reliance and taking
personal responsibility. The quest for empowered people in organisations cuts
both ways - the organisation needs to give people more freedom, and people need
to take responsibility for finding their own answers and solutions. Managers of
course need to support the process of achieving all this (see delegation
and Tannenbaum & Schmidt). GAAFOFY is also a super acronym
for daft questions received in a training, teaching and coaching context. It's a
reminder that we all need to seek our own answers rather than rely on 'received
wisdom' or someone else's solution that might well be overdue for improvement.
See also WIOFYFS. For a free GAAFOFY colour poster see the free businessballs posters page.
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. To
non-accountants this may seem a contradiction in terms.
General Anti-Avoidance Rule. Pertaining to taxation and the
avoidance thereof.
Generally Accepted Auditing Standards. Perhaps only
marginally less contradictory than GAAP, but they do exist,
honestly.
God
Alone Knows. Originally British First World War doctor's shorthand on a
traumitised soldier's medical report for shell-shock or other nervous disorder
(this prior to any official recognition of nervous condition resulting from
months or years active service under fire and bombardment). Nowadays GAK serves
as an incredulous reponse to any unfathomable question. See also
NYDN.
Group Against Smokers Pollution. Nothing to do with
business, but a really great acronym.
Garbage In Garbage Out.
Originated as a computer metaphor but deserves a much wider exposure. Use
freely for any situation at all that involves effort and output (esp. design,
recruitment, purchasing, etc.) Variations include CICO = Crap In Crap Out, and
SISO, which you'll be able to work out for yourself. (Ack. GJ)
Greying, Leisured, Affluent, Married. Another wonderful
demographics acronym.
GMC
Garbage Made Carefully. A wonderful example of industrial
warfare by acronym (no offence intended). "Lil' som'thing back from the Ford
guys...." (Ack S Clory)
Godt Mitt You. (God be with you) The only Anglo-German
hybrid abbreviation I know, used today as a sign-off in certain naval
communications, notably still among Swedish vessels. Some believe its origin
dates from the 2nd World War, when the message was sent between British and
German enemy submarines operating in surface mode, when traditionally they would
not engage, other than to communicate their mutual respect through this
expression. (Ack Robert Stael Von Holstein) Others possible origins are
suggested: That GMY was a greeting between German Wolfpack submarines during
WWII who used the mixture of German and English words to confuse the allies; it
was a traditional greeting between commercial ships; it stems from old
unofficial telegraph code; is was an invention of a Swedish naval officer.
Apparently the signal GMY is mentioned in "I nationens intresse", a novel by Jan
Guillou. A retired WWII navy officer ascribes the origin of the signal to
Christer Kierkegaard, who died 1999. There is apparently no mention of GMY in
British or German signal books from WWII. (Ack Pieter Kuiper) If you can read
Swedish these's more about GMY here.
GOAT
Greatest Of All Time. An acronym from the sporting
commentators' book of superlatives, and transferable to all. Everyone can be
GOAT at what they do and who they are. An alternative and related meaning for
GOAT, as referenced by positive thinking writer Douglas Miller, is Goals,
Objectives, Aims, Targets. In his excellent
book about positive thinking, Miller uses the metaphor of 'herding' your
GOAT's to explain the importance of organising personal activities so that they
are focused on clear meaningful outputs, and in this respect there is a certain
resonance between both GOAT acronym interpretations: decide what you want to be
great at and then organise your plans accordingly.
GBC
General Body Crumble. (ODSA) Healthcare acronym to describe
an elderly person with no specific diagnosis, but just generally deteriorating.
(ack ET)
Government Owned, Contractor Operated. An admission by
government that they have the expertise to run the country (supposedly) but not
anything as practical as a hot-dog stall.
GOFER
Genial Old Farts Enjoying Retirement. Super demographics
acronym, allegedly originally seen on the back of a caravan touring Australia;
now much used at retirement parties. Alternative meaning in similar context is
Genial Old Fisherman Enjoying Recreation. (Ack LA)
GOK
God
Only Knows. (ODSA) Apparently a popular healthcare diagnosis from many years
ago, used especially on bank holidays/weekends, after midnight or when there was
an important football match on TV. After a very quick visit to A&E the
junior doctor would diagnose GOK and admit the patient to a ward, often adding
LTNWIO (let the nurses work it out). Such patients not infrequently later had an
ERCP. (ack ET)
Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden. For chauvinists
everywhere. Especially at the golf club. (Ack C Judd)
GOMER
Get
Out of My Emergency Room. (ODSA) Abbreviation used on ungrateful, unworthy
patient's notes; another superb contribution from LA nurses. (Ack KT)
Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Plans, Activities. A simple
blueprint and order of thinking for business planning of any sort, even for
large complex challenges and entire businesses. (Thanks Chris
Starke)
Guardian Reader
Of Limited Intelligence, Ethnic Skirt. (ODSA) See FLK and other ODSA's. Use with care if you must use is
at all, and whilst not necessarily recommended, there is a potential application
for explaining the more technical aspects of customer
profiling.
Goals, Reality, Options, Will. A maxim from the
life-coaching industry, which makes a lot of sense, and is relevant to any
situation that requires realistic objectives to be established, and then the
planning and determination to achieve them.
Grotesque, Unbelievable, Bizarre, and Unprecedented. GUBU
is a sort of maxim of political and corporate infamy, effectively invented by
Charles, J Haughey, Taoiseach of Ireland (Prime Minister) for three separate
terms between 1979-92. Charles Haughey became embroiled in several outrageous
scandals related to abuse of his position and financial affairs, and when
questioned on one occasion prior to his eventual fall from grace he responded
that the accusations were "...grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre, and
unprecedented..." GUBU has since become a popular acronym in Ireland, and it
is listed here because the underlying meaning and message is obviously
transferable to all sorts of corporate and political so-called leaders, who
abuse their power and insult the intelligence and tolerance of ordinary people,
and then shamelessly deny their shortcomings and deceit with the GUBU defence.
(Ack S Doherty)
HARTL
(This is now in the corporate
backronyms 'corporanyms' list)
High Earning Worker. Demographic acronym, representing the
UK's 534,000 people who earn more than £100,000 per household and yet regard
themselves as 'working class', according to the Future Foundation (May
2006).
High Involvement
Product. A marketing term for a product which requires a
high amount of thought before purchase, cars, holidays, etc. By definition the
selling approach must be different for HIPs compared to FMCG's and LIP's for
instance.
HIVI
Husband Is Village
Idiot. (ODSA) Classic nurses'
shorthand.
Hope Our Love Lasts And Never Dies. Acronym from the
envelopes of wartime home-bound love letters (see also CHIP, ITALY, SWALK, EGYPT
and NORWICH). Text messaging ain't got nothing on it...
Hard-up Old Person Expecting Full Useful Life. Another
poignant demographics acronym. Could be a great name for the next governement
initiative on pensions...
HTH
Hope This Helps. Email abbreviation when replying to
requests. Potentially counter-productive if the recipient doesn't understand
what it means...
HTTP
Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol. Destined to become one of
those abbreviations which nobody knows the origin of in thirty years time, and
here mainly lest we forget.
IAMS
It's About Me Stupid. Elegant and wonderful acronym for
many and various situations, especially explaining and understanding human
relationships and communications. A great reference point for explaining the
'emotional contract' and the false notion that people will do what you say just
because you tell them so. See also WIIFM, and the sections on empathy and
Transactional
Analysis.
I Blame Microsoft.
A 'backronym' with different applications, aside from having
a dig at MS, for example to highlight where a person finds it difficult to
accept responsibility for their own actions, or more usually, inactivity. (Ack
to Dr Neale Roney.) IBM is also interpreted (ack P&J) as I've Been
Married, in dating circles, and in some jobs, for example the police
service, which for some competes strongly with marital responsibilities. And
with no slight intended to the IBM corporation (ack S Adam), since this can
apply anywhere, Idiots Become Managers. More IBM acronyms (in fact
backronyms or 'corporanyms') for IBM as used for the IBM corporation are listed
in the corporate
backronyms list.
ICE
In
Case of Emergency. While the acronym has had this meaning for a while, in
recent times the termonology has assumed additional significance: apparently
modern practice is increasingly to identify a special 'ICE number' within one's
mobile telephone 'phone book' listing, so that in case of suffering a
debilitating accident or emergency, a person assisting anyone in their moment of
need is able immediately to contact the nominated friend, spouse, parent, etc.
(Ack D Kugler)
ID10T
Idiot. Not an acronym obviously but worthy of inclusion.
The 'ID Ten T' code has been used by technical service people for years, and
probably explains very well a large proportion of user-reported faults and
queries. See also UBAD, ID10T, BDU, PEBCAK and PICNIC.
IDEA
Identify, Design, Execute, Augment. Process for changing
anything. Identify the issues, priorities, constraints, resources; Design the
plan; Execute the plan; Augment, refine, adjust and improve activies to
consolidate change. (Ack. Dean Whitehead.)
IDEAL
Identify, Define,
Explore, Action, Lookback. Process for solving problems:
Identify the problem, Define it, Explore possible solutions and effects, Action
the chosen solution, and Look back at the SNAFU you've brought about (not really
- Look back at a 100% successful outcome and a job well done). (Ack. Don
Clark)
IIP
Investors In People. The UK system of human resources
quality and development accreditation system. Or more amusingly,
Intellectually Impaired Person (or Passenger or Protester)
- being the unofficial term allegedly used by some London Transport staff to
describe a person aggressively questioning staff and appearing not to understand
the information or explanations provided. (Ack AB) See also
PITSA.
IKEA
Ingvar Kamprad, Elmtaryd, Agunnaryd. Ingvar Kamprad, from a
place called Elmtaryd, in Agunnaryd, Sweden, founded the IKEA retail chain. Not
a lot of people know that. Great quiz question. (Thanks SJ for the spelling
correction)
I'll Know It When I See It. Ironic and actually very
prevalent alternative approach to WYSIWYG. The IKIWISI principle is not a great
help when working with specialists who require a decent brief. People exhibiting
IKIWISI behaviour generally need help to try thinking a little about aims and
outcomes. See also IKWIWWISI below.
I'll Know What I Want When I See It. Variation on the above
theme. The procrastinator's motto. Instead: sit down, think, write down some
ideas or aims, and then you will get good results.
IMCIS
Identify, Manage,
Change, Improve, Show. The basis of the Japanese
approach to TQM, as in: Identify customer-supplier relationships, Manage
processes, Change culture, Improve communications, Show commitment.
(Acknowledgments to John Oakland.)
IMHO
In
My Humble Opinion. We don't list many acronyms and abbreviations used in
emails and texting, etc, because there are millions of them and other sites do
it better; however the IMHO acronym has a certain resonance for life and
communications generally, and it's been around for ages, so it is worthy of
inclusion here. (Thanks DH)
INSET
In-Service Education and Training. On-the-job training in
other words, just sounds a bit more technical.
IOWA
Idiots Out Walking About (or Wandering Around). For all
those executives who haven't got a clue what's really going on in their
companies, and think that a quick stroll among the workers will boost morale and
uncover some great idea how to save or make the next million. (Ack Tom
Calvert)
IP
Intellectual Property. A common term meaning copyrighted or
trademarked or otherwise protected work, owned by the originator unless sold or
transferred. Most international law recognises the originator's rights in any
type of original work or idea - in whatever media. If you doodle on a napkin or
take a photo or write a poem this is all automatically your intellectual
property. If you write a book or a play or a training programme or you design a
better mousetrap, this would all automatically be your intellectual property
(unless of course it replicates intellectual property already belonging to
someone else). IP is a widely used abbreviation referring to any work of
original creation. It's a complex area however. Many employers quite reasonably
insist that any IP developed by their employees relating to their paid
employment automatically belongs to the employer (since the employer has paid
for it). Some employers seek to extend this to employees' ideas and creations
that are not related to the work, which is less reasonable. For more detail
relating to IP issues attached to important or potentially significant personal
or organisational liabilities, licensing, etc., it's best to seek qualified
advice.
IPATTAP
Interrupt, Patronise, Argue, Threaten, Terminate, Apply
Penalties. A less than ideal customer service process for dealing with
complaints and dissatisfied customers - widely exhibited, especially by large
organizations in the finance, insurance and telecoms sectors. The acronym is
useful to remind all exponents of poor customer service how not to do
it...
IPO
Initial Public Offering. Stock Exchange and corporate
acronym for the initial sale of privately owned equity (stock or shares) in a
company via the issue of shares to the public and other investing institutions.
In other words an IPO is the first sale of stock by a private company to the
public. IPOs are typically small, young companies raising capital to finance
growth. For investors IPO's can risky as it is difficult to predict the value of
the stock or shares when they open for trading. An IPO is effectively 'going
public' or 'taking a company public'.
IRBIA
I'd Rather Be In
Ambridge. You've seen people with that 'IRBIA' look on
their face, when the real world is getting to be too much. When they'd rather be
somewhere else, far away from the pressures of a particularly tedious meeting or
training course. (Ambridge is the fictional and normally idyllic home to Radio
4's 'The Archers'.)
ISDN
Innovations Subscribers Don't Need. Amusing alternative
interpretation of the abbreviation's original meaning: Integrated Services
Digital Network, in other words a digital telephone line. Another
alternative meaning: I Still Don't Know. (Ack Q Armitage) And another
amusing meaning of ISDN: It Still Does Nothing. (Ack D
McNally)
ISO
International Standards Organization. The international
standards-setting organization chartered by the United Nations, more properly
called the International Organization for Standardization, whose
'initials' prefix various published standards, typically four digit numbers, for
example ISO9000, the quality standard. The words 'International Standards
Organization' are, fascinatingly, a retrospectively applied meaning - ISO was
not originally an acronym. The word derives from the Greek 'isos', meaning equal
(as in 'isobar' - meaning a line on a weather map denoting the same atmospheric
pressure, 'isometric' - meaning equal measure, and 'isosceles' as in an
'isosceles triangle', which you will remember from your school-days is a
triangle with two equal sides).
ITALY
I
Trust And Love You. Wartime back-of-envelope lovers code. (See also NORWICH,
SWALK, and HOLLAND)
Jump And Pump All Night. Australian origins apparently.
Various applications. (Ack R Knight)
Just Flipping Do
It. Pronounced 'Jifdi', this acronym is the antidote to
procrastination, and a reminder that simply getting on with it is often the best
answer to most moments of self-doubt. JFDI is a must for management training,
time management and a maxim for self-reliance and empowerment.
JICNARS
Joint Industry Committee for National Readership Surveys.
The body which established and runs the ABC social grades classification system,
much used by media and marketing folk. See the demographics section.
JIT
Just In Time. Pertains normally to resource and
stock-holding planning the aim of which is to reduce to a torturous knife-edge
minimum an organization's cash tied up in non-productive activities.
Alternatively represented by the description 'disaster waiting to happen'. Use
freely and scornfully wherever you see such examples. Use variations by adding
suffixes with the initial letters of the particular starved resource (eg JITS =
Just In Time Stock, JITT = Just In Time training, JITIA = Just In Time
International Aid, etc.) Humorous antonyms include JTL (=Just Too Late) and the
frustratingly JTFL (= Just Too Flipping Late).
JOB
Just Over Broke. Acronym for economic and financial
life-change. A useful spur if you are contemplating self-employment, starting
your own business, buying a franchise, becoming a consultant, plumber, etc. (Ack
P Gosling)
KAS
Knowledge,
Attitude, Skills. The constituents
required for people to succeed at what they do, individually and collectively.
Knowledge and Skills can largely be trained; Attitude can't - it's a factor of
personality, emotion, personal circumstances, and the organizational environment
- accountants and bosses can't measure it, so it's often overlooked, and then
the boss and the accountant wonder why people aren't performing. (Ack. Don
Clark) See also KASH below.
KASH
Knowledge, Attitude, Skills, Habits. Another useful acronym
for trainers to explain different aspects of learning. Generally skills and
knowledge are easier to develop and change than attitude and habits. (Ack SD) If
you know the origins of the KASH acronym please contact
us.
KEY
Keep Extending Yourself. Coaching and motivational maxim. A
reminder of the importance of striving to improve yourself, and always to be
seeking new challenges.
KIPPERS
Kids In Parents' Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings. See
also SKI-ing for the antidote. (Ack. D Rowland)
Keep It Simple Stupid. One of the all time great acronyms, and so true. A motto and
reminder that simplicity works - in communications, design, philosophy,
relationships, decision-making, meetings, management and life generally. Apply
and promote KISS to any situation to deter unnecessary complication, excuses,
bureaucracy, red-tape, and to encourage practical positive outcomes, no-nonsense
communications, integrity, truth, beauty, and honesty. (See also 'JFDI').
Variations on the KISS theme include Keep It Short and Sweet, Keep It
Simple Sunshine, Keep It Simple and Straightforward, Keep It
Simple Sister, Keep It Simple Sweetheart, etc. For a free KISS colour
poster see the free businessballs posters
page.
Kick In The Ass/Arse. Motivation at its
most basic. In fact not motivation at all. (See also AKUTA). Managers persisting
with this idiocy will find that after a KITA session the recipient will be
motivated to move only the small distance that Newton's Laws of Motion provide
for them to do so, and then will do one or more probably a number of certain
things:
- sprawl to the floor in a useless heap
(metaphorically) and be less committed and productive than they were pre-KITA,
and/or
- turn around and return their manager's KITA
with a PITG (Punch In The Gob) and/or
- say nothing, go home and begin preparations
to STEFABOD (Sue The Employer For A Barnful Of
Damages).
KLOE
Key Lines Of Enquiry. System much used now by the UK
Audit Commission (and no doubt by other highly centralised and high-control
culture organizations) to set down extremely specific criteria for inspectors
assessing and reporting on local government services. So much for empowerment...
(Ack MC)
KPI/KSI
Key Performance Indicator/Key Success Indictor. A measure,
target or standard, used to manage and gauge the performance of an activity,
process or project. Establishing a series of KPI's or KSI's is a very useful way
to manage, monitor and assess the effectiveness of any organizational activity
or process (Thanks for reminder Nick Whiteley). KSI (= Key Success
Indicator) is a less common version of this acronym.
KYHAFTY
Keep Your Hands And Feet To
Yourselves. For the youngest of audiences, or unruly
adult ones. Originally a teachers' acronym but much too good to restrict to
school assemblies. (Acknowledgments to Anstey Latimer School, Leicester,
England.)
LADDER
Longitudinal And
Directional Distance Extremity Reacher. Perhaps one of the silliest and most
wonderful reverse acronyms ever to have been devised. (Ack M
Rand)
LADIES
Life After Divorce Is
Eventually Saner. Motto for independence and self-determination, from the
so-named activist group.
Lower
Academically-Minded Person. Euphemistic reference to an idiot, or someone
who's behaviour resembles one. (Ack P Garbutt) LAMP®
also refers to the Miller Heiman organisation's Large Account Management
Process, which is an altogether more serious use of the abbreviation (see
the sales training section).
LANO
Lights Are Not On. For people who aren't concentrating or simple unable to do so. See
MEGO, PEARL and RHINO. The shorthand coded version of 'The wheel is turning but
the hamster is dead'. (Ack L Speden) Alterntive acronym is: LONI = Lights On,
Nobody In. (Ack MG)
LASER
Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of
Radiation. Should technically be LABTSEOR, but it would never have caught
on. (Thanks KBS)
LAST
Listen, Advise, Solve, Thank. A good aid for training
customer service and complaints handling. (Ack Tumby). Certain organizations
continue to pursue less positive methods, notably the IFO technique (Ignore and
Fob-Off) or the IPATTAP model (Interrupt, Patronise, Argue, Threaten, Terminate,
Apply Penalties).
LBIAC
Left Brains In Airport Carpark. As used by airport and airline ground handling staff the world
over, and also very good for inattentive delegates who've had to make an
expensive air trip just to fall asleep on your training course. (Ack. David
Rawsthorn)
LEDO
Listen, Empathise,
De-personalise, Offer. Mainly for customer service, and also good for any
conciliation or conflict resolution: listen to the complaint, empathise with the
customer, de-personalise the situation (both of you stand back and look at it
objectively), and then offer a solution. Brilliant and simple. (Ack. Matt
Booth)
LOBNAH
Lights On But Nobody's At Home.
Great extension of LANO, LONI or as an alternative to PEARL.
Also for people who say that they've been listening when really we know they
haven't.
LOL
Lots of Love. (Or) Laughing Out
Loud. Ubiquitous acronym found in email, chatroom and texting
communications. Very probably the most common acronym in use
today.
LOFT
Lack Of Flipping Talent. Sardonic
put-down or comment upon a daft action of a colleague found in banter across
City trading floors and sales offices where such aggressive and competitive
behaviours are part of the scene. (Ack R Werrett)
LOMBARD
Loads Of Money But A Real Dickhead. As
if any confirmation were needed; inheritence or accumulation of wealth doesn't
necessarily correlate with decency and integrity. A good acronym for Maslow and Herzberg
emphasis. (Thanks DM for reminder)
LIFER
Lazy Ignorant Fool Expecting
Retirement. One of the many amusing acronyms with miltary origins, with
wider potential applications. The armed forces offer relatively short timescales
by which staff can retire on a full pension, hence the expression to describe
people who fail to make the most of their opportunities and efforts. The term
has also been spotted in the education sector. (Ack DR)
LIP
Low Involvement Product. Marketingspeak for a product which doesn't require much thought
before purchase. Question: Are all FMCGs LIPs as well?
LONI
Lights On, Nobody
In. Alternative acronym to LANO from the 'wheel is turning but the hamster
is dead' category. (Ack MG)
MAAH
Mad As A Hatter.
(ODSA) This healthcare acronym has a certain onomatopoeic quality... (Ack E
Thomas)
MAEW
Moves All Extremities
Well. (ODSA) Nurses and doctors acronym used on patient notes. The term is
perfectly transferable to over-active team members, and delegates at meetings or
training courses. See also KYHAFTY.
MACINTOSH
Most Applications
Crash. If Not, The Operating System Hangs. Largely unfair but very clever
reverse acronym.
MBA
Master of Business
Administration. Not everyone knows what this actully stands for, and when
you think about it, 'Master of Business Administration' arguably gives a
somewhat lop-sided impression of what modern business management is all about.
Too late to change it now though..
MBO
(or MBO's)
Management By
Objectives. The classic management, delegation and development technique,
but which people's activities and aims - and the coaching support given - can be
geared to organizational targets and priorities. See also SMART and SMARTER, and
the techniques for effective delegation. (Thanks for reminder SD)
MBWA
Management By Walking
About (or Wandering Around). Depending on who is doing the walking about and
whether you are in the vicinity this could be either a good thing or a bad
thing. If you are a manager and like to manage by walking about make sure you do
it with humility and genuine interest. Better still why not actually do the job
on the factory floor for a week and you'll really find out what's going on.
(Thanks Tom Calvert for pointing out this omission.) See also IOWA. The term
MBWA is generally acknowledged to have been coined by Tom Peters (In Search Of
Excellence, 1982), but the MBWA style, and it's extended variant MBWAL, were
part of a new management ideology which seems to have been first pioneered by a
few bright American companies as far back as the 1940's (eg Varian Associates,
the healthcare company), along with Management By Objectives and Open Door
Management. The style was later adopted and further evangelised from the late
1950's onwards by David Packard and William Hewlett, the founders of Hewlett
Packard (who incidentally seem to have learned it from working at some stage
with Edward Ginzton of Varian). This modern approach is also known as Silicon
Valley Management - SVM - because that's location of the first companies who
used it, and where its effectiveness was first proven. The SVM style, and its
contemporary variations, now a mainstay of recently successful big organizations
like Cisco and Sun, is also indirectly referred to as the 'HP
Way'.
MBWAL
Management By
Wandering Around and Listening. Extension of the MBWA management technique.
My Eyes Glazed Over. Watch for this sign from your audience at your next presentation.
If spotted you could need more acronyms.... See PEARL and LANO
also.
MELVIN
Mediocrity, Ego,
Limits, Vanity, Incompetence, Name-calling. Non-productive aspects of
workplace behaviour and attitude. Various MELVIN terms (eg 'NO MELVIN', 'Don't
be a MELVIN', 'No MELVIN's here', etc) help remind people of the behaviours to
avoid, especially in blame cultures or negative-thinking environments. (Ack P
Lubbers) Sits well alongside other motivational and positive attitude maxims,
many examples on the quotes and leadership
sections, and links well with the philosophies of Covey's seven habits, Carter-Scott's rules of life and Ruiz's Four Agreements.
Maximum Impact, Little
Effort. Acronym to express the principle of optimising productivity, and the
value of identifying 'high-yield' areas on which to apply 'high-yield' methods
and techniques. Especially helpful in sales and marketing training. See also PAY. See Pareto
Principle (The 80:20 Rule). (Ack PL)
MIP
Mobility Impaired
Person. Semi-official acronym used by London Transport staff to describe a
person who may have difficulty using stairs or escalators because of some
physiological condition or because they are burdened with heavy luggage and/or
children. (Ack AB) See also VIP.
Measurable,
Manageable, Motivational. A great tri-pod or three-legged stool analogy -
the three essential struts for any contracted arrangement or understanding, or
delegated task. Remove any of the three legs and the structure falls over. See
also SMART, and the Smartie
Hunt team building game. Alternatively: Mrs, Mother, Martyr, with an
optional fourth M for Mistress if appropriate. (Ack E Gidley)
MOP
Measure Of Performance. Critical and essential aspect of all sorts of business activities
(training, delegation, planning anything, product development, etc), often
overlooked, which invariably produces unsatisfactory and un-measurable results
that then surprise the perpetrators. (Ack. Don Clark)
Mean Time Between
Changes of Mind. Originally an engineering abbreviation, which is actually
applicable to all project work and delegated tasks, from the perspective of the
delegate, or person expected to carry out the work. When designing, performing
or carrying out any activity at the request or instruction of another person or
group, it is usually best to wait a given time (the MTBCM) until the
specification has stabilised. A few situations and instructions have a MTBCM of
zero (for example when you have left your car in the CEO's car-park space); most
other tasks (for example creating a new corporate brochure or a company-wide
training programme) tend to change in nature considerably, and many times,
before agreement is possible on final specification. The MTBCM factor does not
allow of course for those projects which need to be started before a precise
specification can be agreed, which is another matter altogether.... (Ack MG)
Most Useless Police
Probationer Ever Trained. Not a recommended trainer's term, given the
acronym's obvious disrespectful tone. (Thanks NT). See also Muppet
in the word origins.
MUPPIE
Middle-aged Urban
Professional. Amusing twist on the YUPPIE theme. Another demographic social
class acronym from the 1980's.
NAAFI
Navy, Army and Air
Force Institutes. Again, one of those acronyms whose origins are not widely
known.
NACTAC
Not A Chance Til After Christmas. Understandable response
from overworked despatch departments and customer services staff when attempting
to explain quite reasonably that it's not possible to process urgent last-minute
orders received at lunchtime on the day before holiday shut-down. Variations
include NACTAE (Easter), NACTAT (Thanksgiving), etc.
NAD
Nothing Abnormal
Discovered/Detected. (ODSA) Nurses and healthcare staff acronym to describe
test results that are within the normal range. However, NAD is alternatively
often used when superiors ask for the results of tests that no-one thought to
order, in which case it means Not Actually Done..... This form of the
acronym is of course eminently transferable to all orgnisational situations
where managers fail to notice their mistakes, and also fail to notice the
generosity of their staff, who bail them out and never mention a thing.... (ack
E Thomas)
NALGO
Not A Lot Going
On. Retrospectively applied meaning to the NALGO trade union name. The
acronym's original meaning was National Association of Local Government
Officers, which merged with NUPE and COHSE in 1993 to form UNISON, now the
largest UK trade union representing over a million public service workers and
volunteers. (Ack R Tickner)
NATO
Not A Team
Operator. For glory-hunters and autocrats
everywhere. (Ack. L Speden)
NB
Nota Bene. Abbreviation of the Latin expression commonly used in explanatory
writing, literally meaning 'observe well'.
NFL
Normal For Londoners. (ODSA). Flexible and disparaging reference to a group of people
deemed to be less intelligent or capable than those using the term. The third
word is widely substituted for other areas, towns and cities (for example NFN =
Normal for Norfolk, NFS = Normal For Selby, and NFF = Normal For Fife). Beware
potential discrimination litigation hazards, ie., nationalities are not
recommended for third words. The acronym potentially extends to corporate,
organisational and inter-departmental rivalries, whereby third word options
include: management, marketing, salesmen, engineers, officers, solicitors,
accountants, etc.
NKDA
No Known Drug
Allergies. (ODSA). Nursing and healthcre staff acronym, alternatively the
abbreviation is used to mean Not Known, Didn't Ask. (ack
ET)
NLP
Neuro-Linguistic
Programming. A modern scientific model for communication and
self-development. See the NLP section for more information. 'Neuro' refers to the way
your brain and senses, interprets and process your experiences. 'Linguistic'
refers to the interpretation of experience through language. 'Programming'
refers to and implies your actual or potential ability to affect your mind's
control over your behaviour and language, and thereby to 'program'
yourself.
NICAM
Near-Instantaneously
Companded Audio Multiplex. I bet you never knew that.... A great one for
quizzes and smart aleks. 'Companded' is a technical compound word made from
'compressed' and 'expanded', like modem and codec, also featured on this page.
(Ack KBS, and D Harte for further details). Alternatively and sardonically
employed by some sound reproduction purists to mean Not Intended to Carry Any
Music (Ack P Kirkpatrick).
NIGY
Now I've Got You.
An acronym specifically relating to Transactional Analysis 'games', however, the term is widely
applicable beyond this, eg, uncovering deceipt or duplicity, solving a problem,
mastering a new skill, etc.
NIMBY
Not In My
Back-Yard. Term given to a person or group having the audacity to complain
about a nuclear waste recycling plant or high security prison being built close
to their homes. Gave rise to the term 'nimbyism' which is generally used by
people to criticise others who are behaving in exactly the same way as would
those making nimbyism accusations, were they to find themselves in similar
circumstances (this type of person known as a PIGINIMBY - Phew I'm Glad It's Not
In My Back-Yard). See also BANANA.
NOCD
Not Our Class
Dear. Upper-class, snobbish, derogatory term for something of unacceptable
quality. See NTD and PLU.
NONCE
Not On Normal
Courtyard Exercise. A slang prison word for a sex offender, derived
supposedly from the term chalked above a culprit's cell door by prison officers,
meaning that the prisoner should be kept apart from others for his own safety.
Alternatively the acronym came after the word, which was derived as a shortening
of 'a little bit of nonsense' being a prison euphemism for the particular
offence.
NOONG
Not One Of Nature's
Gentlemen. Excellent term for covert customer service communications.
Sarcastic acronym referring to a rude man, as used by various customer-facing
roles, eg, nurses, waitresses, call-centre staff, etc.
NQR
Not Quite Right.
(ODSA) Nurses' shorthand acronym to describe a patient in such condition. Useful
abbreviation that is perfectly transferable to pretty well all situations beyond
the medical world. (Ack Charli)
NTD
Not Top Drawer.
Upper-class people's expression refering to something of less than acceptable
quality. See NOCD and PLU for other snobbish code.
NSFW
Not Safe For Work.
Acronym to warn others (or remind oneself) that the information or content being
sent, recommended or revealed is on the wrong side of political correctness or
decency, and is liable to adversely affect career progression or even job
retention, especially dodgy emails, websites. The acronym is of course
transferable to a variety of other high risk behaviours or revelations, for
example, certain fashion statements and haircuts; certain stories about your
weekend exploits; revealing weird personal facts or accomplishments such as
drunken tattoos or body piercings, possessing a huge collection of belly-button
fur-balls, etc. The expression has also been applied to people themselves. (Ack
C Purdom)
National Television
System Committee. Although the video and TV abbreviation is widely used, the
meaning and origins are not commonly known. The abbreviation refers to colour
television standard developed in the USA decades ago, and still used all over
the world, despite its propensity to 'colour drift' (whereby the colour
reference signal wanders off-frequency). This tendency gave rise to the amusing
alternative derogatory meaning given to the abbreviation (allegedly by boffins
at the BBC): Never Twice the Same Colour. (Ack D Harte) See also SECAM and PAL
acronyms.
NVQ
National Vocational
Qualification. NVQ's are of course a significant presence in UK training and
development. Some people love them, others loathe them. To help understand why
this is look at the notes relating to multiple intelligence types and learning styles, also Kolb's
learning styles, and the big section on personality types and models. NVQ's are wonderful for very
many people: Several million certificates have been awarded since NVQ's were
first introduced in 1986 by the then NCVQ (National Council for Vocational
Qualifications - incidentally, since 1997 and as at 2006, NVQ's now come under
QCA, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority). But NVQ's don't suit
everyone, (kinesthetic learners for example) particularly if delivery
and assessment methods make no allowance for folk who not naturally inclined to
the structured and strongly administrative bias that NVQ accreditation typically
demands. (More explanation about NVQ's will soon appear on this site.) Of the
people who are not overly impressed with NVQ's, especially if they happen to
feel a little enviously or resentfully towards other people's NVQ achievements,
the NVQ acronym has been known (ack O Golamaully) to be interpreted instead to
mean Not Very Qualified, which is of course very unfair and is not to be
recommended at all - even if the proud new owner of an NVQ level 1 in
Paint-Balling is parading it around the office like a Harvard doctorate. (I
don't believe there is actually an NVQ in Paint-Balling yet, which is a pity...)
Not Yet Diagnosed -
Nervous. British Army Doctor's shorthand from the First World War, used on
medical reports of soldiers suffering from shell-shock. Prior to official
recognition of the condition, the term GAK (God Only Knows) was used. By
December 1916 more than 17,000 British troops were officially diagnosed as
suffering from nervous or mental disability (we'd say shell-shock or
post-traumatic stress disorder these days), despite which the British military
authorities continued to charge and convict sufferers with cowardice and
desertion, and sentence to death by firing squad many of those found 'guilty'.
In all, between 1914 and 1918, 346 British soldiers (including Commonwealth
soldiers serving with the British army) were shot by firing squad. Over 300 of
these men received the death sentence for what amounted to being incapable of
fighting due to shell-shock and mental illness. The firing squads typically were
made up from their own reluctant comrades. Most of the victims were very young
men - some even less than the official recruiting age. Many had previously
distinguished themselves for many months or years in the most savage conditions
ever experienced in warfare. Few if any of the convicted men had proper
representation at their 'trials'. Most were informed of their fate a few hours
before the execution, even though the decision to carry out their sentence had
been made some days or weeks prior, thus appeals were effectively prevented.
Relatives were rarely informed prior to the execution and afterwards were
refused access to any papers or details, incredibly because permission was
required by the condemned man (difficult to believe, but true). Widows were
denied normal pensions and rights, and many were ostracized by their
communities. Other countries either did not shoot their own soldiers, or have
long since issued full pardons, and in many cases have commemorated the victims.
Only in 1989 did the British Government agree to release full details of the
trials and the circumstances of the executions (on a rolling 75 year basis, so
as to reduce the embarrassment and reaction). After decades of lobbying and
campaigning by mostly ordinary people, on 16 August 2006, the British Government
agreed to pardon 306 of these men (seemingly the number of British soldiers
considered shot for 'cowardice' or 'desertion'), subject to ratification by
Parliament. It's a pity it took so long. The many government ministers who up
until this time refused to do the right thing, and worse, who reinforced the
'guilt' of the victims and prolonged the suffering of their families, should
search their own souls and learn from their failings. More about this subject is
at the deeply disturbing website for the Shot At Dawn Campaign. More is also in
the wonderful book 'The Thin Yellow Line' by William Moore, first published in
1974, revised in 1999, and still one of the most stirring accounts of
institutional inhumanity and injustice that you will ever read. It's taken 90
years for this wrong to be reconciled. The story emphasises two things: first,
that people in authority have a responsibility to behave with integrity; and
second, that where people in authority fail to act with integrity, the
persistence and determination of ordinary people will eventually force them to
do so. See also the stories
page for suggestions of how this all relates to ethics and responsibilities,
and the related discussion
ideas.
OAP
Over Anxious Person.
(ODSA) Original doctors' shorthand seen on
prescription notes, but applicable far more widely, and an alternative to the
conventional Old Age Pensioner interpretation, which I predict will be
deemed politcally incorrect within the next few years...
Order of the British
Empire. In years gone by OBE also carried the meaning One Button
Exposed - a reference to a man's open trouser fly. (Ack P&J and N
Spargo).
OCEAN
Openness to
experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion/introversion, Agreeableness,
Neuroticism. The 'Big Five' personality dimensions, by which modern day
psychologists believe every person's personality and behaviour tendencies can be
measured. Interestingly, between 30% and 50% of the variation between people's
measurements in these characteristics are attributable to genetics (ie.,
'nature' - inherited genes from ancestors and specifically parents), and the
remainder to environmental factors (ie., 'nurture' - the way we have been
brought up and our experiences). This means that in terms of the 'nature versus
nurture' debate, on average 'nurture' factors have more influence over our
personality than 'nature'. That said, certain character traits are more likely
to be caused by inherited (nature) than others, and extremely subtle differences
exist, for example, propensity to hold serious religious belief is more likely
to be genetic (nature) than propensity to have strong political attitudes, and
propensity to drink coffee or alcohol is more likely to be genetic (nature) than
propensity to smoke tobacco. (Source: Nature Versus Nurture by Matt
Ridley)
ODSA
Original Doctors' Shorthand Acronym.
There are lots of them, first used by GP's, consultants,
nurses and other healthcare staff as secret coded comments about the patient.
These dark and wonderful acronyms are now available for us all to use and enjoy,
as most of them are applicable far beyond the medical world. 'ODSAs' are marked
as such throughout this archive. (Ack Dr Phil Hammond for
many)
OGRO
O Great Responsible
One. Sardonic acronym for committee chair-people, project leaders,
department managers, etc., who have delusions of grandeur or difficulties
delegating and sharing with their teams. (Ack PS)
OHP
Over-Head
Projector. These days a much under-rated piece of equipment, like a pencil
and paper, and a flip-chart.
OINKY
One Income, No Kids
Yet. Amusing demographics acronym from the dating
industry.
ORCHID
One Recent Child,
Heavily In Debt. These people are at Maslow Hierarchy of Needs level 3, so
don't try appealing to their level 4 needs. See Maslow.
PAC
Parent, Adult, Child. The three
alter-ego states defined in Eric Berne's theory of Transactional Analysis. See
the Transactional
Analysis pages on this site.
Phase Alternate
Line. Television standard developed by the BBC, to be a more stable
(self-correcting) technology than NTSC
for handling the colour-carrier TV signal, by inverting its 'phase' on every
line as the picture is drawn down the screen. (Ack DH). See also SECAM. Also
Paid for Added Luxury, which is a reference to the (then) extra cost of
the 'delay line' required to make the PAL receiver work (Ack Mike). Also
Price/Availability List, and lots of others too mundane to
mention.
PANIC
Pressured And Not In
Control. Descriptive and useful acronym for all sorts of situations. A
reminder also that pressure alone does not produce panic - it's whether you can
control it. (Ack G Christie-MacAllan)
Prioritise Activities
by Yield. The principle of 'working smart'. The word 'yield' means the
result or productive effect of an action or activity. In life and business it's
helpful to focus your efforts on tasks and activities that will give the highest
return on your efforts. Identify and then work on things that will produce the
best yield in your chosen area. When you plan how to spend your time, plan to
spend it on efforts that will produce the highest yield according to whatever
you are trying to achieve, be that business results, profit, etc, or any other
desired impact, effect, benefit, greater good, etc. See also MILE. (ack S
Billbess)
PBP
Proctodynia By
Proxy. (ODSA) Highly amusing healthcare abbreviation to describe a condition
suffered by clinical staff. Proctodynia is the medical term for rectal pain, so
a patient/colleague who is very demanding/unreasonable is a pain in the backside
for the other staff, causing them PBP. The PBP expression is therefore extremely
transferable to all types of work, relationship and service situations. (ack
ET)
PCMCIA
People Can't Memorise Computer Industry
Acronyms. Far more amusing and useful alternative abbreviation than the
normal IT industry interpretation, which for the record is: Personal Computer
Memory Card Interface Adapter. (Ack A
Fourie)
Public Display of Affection. Courtesy
of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, as quoted in a press interview, circa early
2000, as part of an explanation as to why he can't hug his children. (During his
formative years - nor now for that matter - PDA was not the done-thing in the
royal household.) PDA is actually very good for the soul, whether you're a royal
or not. Try it, you'll like it, and so will the recipient. Alternative meaning -
Personal Digital Assistant (a small electronic
personal organiser) - which is not nearly so
interesting.
PDK
Polyester Double-Knit. A derogatory
term for someone who is out of fashion, from USA 1980's campus
society.
PDQ
Pretty Damn Quick. Or Pretty Darned
Quick. Simple and often effective abbreviation, for accelerating and
prioritising projects, activities, requests, etc., actually from the late
1800's. (Thanks MR for
reminder)
PEARL
Pupils Equal And Reacting To
Light. Original nurses' shorthand,
and a sardonic form of MEGO. A good presenter should never hesitate to subject a
bored seminar delegate to the PEARL test. See also PERRLA
below.
PERRLA
Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive to Light and Accommodate to
distance. Technically fuller version of PEARL above, used by nurses and
doctors on patients notes.
PEBCAK
Problem Exists Between Chair And
Keyboard. One of the great modern acronyms. Usage not
restricted to the computer operators - apply to any situation where the human
element contributes the weakest link. (ack Don Clark) See also PICNIC, UBAD,
DISFOB, and the ID 10 T code.
PEP
Paternalistic, Economic, Participative.
The three main
motivational styles found in organizations and management.
Political, Economic, Social, Technological. Classic situational analysis headings, guaranteed to prompt nods
of approval when used in business presentations. You may see 'Environmental'
used instead of 'Economic' depending on the context. Either version is actually
a very useful analysis and interpretation tool for business and marketing
situations. PEST is sometimes extended to 'PESTELI' in which the headings:
Ecological (or Environmental), Legislative (or Legal), and Industry Analysis are
added. See the free PEST analysis template. See also 'SWOT'.
PICNIC
Problem In Chair Not In Computer. Shorthand of IT technical
support staff to describe 'confused' users. Sister acronym to PEBCAK (Ack D
Chadwick) See also BDU, ID10T, UBAD, ESO and DISFOB.
PIGINIMBY
Phew I'm Glad It's Not
In My Back-Yard. A type of hypocrite who thinks they sit at the right hand
of God, and loudly goes around accusing others of nimbyism (see
NIMBY).
PIMS
Profit Impact of
Marketing Strategy. Important reminder of the aim, just in case the
marketing effort threatens to disappear up its own rear end.
PINS
Persons In Need of
Supervision. From the educational and social care sectors. Quite an apt
expression for emphasising responsibility and grown-up behaviour. For example,
training session syndicate work when groups leave the watchful eye of the
facilitator, or for positioning unsupervised tasks and
assignments.
PIOTA
Pull It Outa The Air. Think of a number
(or a word, or an answer...). For those situations when not a lot
of thought is required, or is being exhibited, in trying to come up with an
answer or start-point.
PISA
Permanent and
Irrecoverable State of Alcoholism. (ODSA) Medical acronym used by doctors
and healthcare staff to describe patients with serious drink-related problems.
(Ack MP)
PITSA
Person (or Passenger) Intoxicated Through Substance Abuse.
Allegedly a London Underground tube system acronym used by certain staff to
describe a member of the public found un-conscious or semi-conscious on station
premises. The product of the victim's over-indulgence when present on the
platform is known colloquially as a 'Platform Pizza', leading to occasional word
play with the similarity in the sounds. (Ack A Butler)
PLMK
Please Let Me Know. An example of an abbreviation designed
with the aim of saving time for the writer, but which often turns out to be a
false economy when the reader doesn't understand the request. (Ack B
Butcher)
PLOKTA
Press Lots Of Keys To Abort. Emergency IT acronym.
Completely useless yet a widely practised computer trouble-shooting method.
PLU
People Like Us. Upper-class reference to describe others
who have similar high-class aspirations and standards. See also NTD and NOCD for
other semi-secret upper-class coded terms.
PNG
Persona Non-Grata. Abbreviation for the ageless Latin term
for an unwelcome or disagreeable person, meaning literally 'person not
pleasing'. (Ack ED)
Passenger(s) On Board. Primarily a taxi-cab drivers
expression used when reporting back to base that they've picked up a fare and
have the customer(s) safely aboard (Ack MP). The acronym transfers extremely
well to describe certain work teams, and to explain the importance of teamwork
(ie., if a team is a 'POB' team, then it contains at least one 'passenger', not
contributing as fully as they might be). Also a reminder for team leaders and
facilitators of the importance of setting up work teams and syndicate groups for
team-building games so that all members of the teams are engaged in the activity
(see the team building activities guidelines).
Prisoners Of Her/His Majesty. Acronym alleged by some to be
the original meaning of the Australian term 'Pom' or 'Pommie' for English folk;
(many early English settlers in Australia were deported criminals).
Alternatively (ack Gerry) it is shown as POME, interpreted as Prisoner Of Mother
England. In fact a common view among etymologists is that pom and pommie
probably derived from pome meaning a fruit like apple or pear, and pomegranate
(pomme of course is French for apple), and that POHM and POME are
retrospectively-arrived-at acronyms, or 'bacronyms'.
POS
Point Of Sale. Retail term, being the physical point at
which products are displayed on shelves or paid for at the checkout, as in the
EPOS acronym.
POSH
Port Out Starboard Home. Again, not really a business
acronym, but interesting. The derivation is supposed by many (erroneously
probably) to relate to the detail printed on P&O tickets denoting the more
expensive cabins on sailings from England to India. See POSH in the clichés
origins section.
POSTAD TV
Priorities, Outcomes, Sequence, Timings,
Attendees, Date, Time, Venue. Nothing to do with Eastern Bloc broadcasting, these are the
essentials for a good meeting, and what must appear on the agenda. ('Outcomes'
meaning required outcomes, ie discussion, decision,
etc.)
POTUS
President Of The United States. Acronym used by Whitehouse
staff. See also FLOFTUS.
PPC
Product Price Close. The ultimate simplification of the
selling process. And yet many still fail to remember even these fundamental
steps. (Ack M Booth)
|
Purpose, People, Planet, Probity (or Purity or
Principles). Four cornerstones of sustainable success and a maxim for
modern management and organisational philosophy. (Probity means honesty,
uprightness - it's from the Latin word probus, meaning good). 'Purpose' is
an apt replacement for 'Profit' and thus makes the acronym appropriate for
use in not-for-profit organisations. Profit-focused corporations can of
course substitute 'Profit' for 'Purpose'. More detailed explanation of the
P4 model of modern
leadership. |
|
 |
Product, Price, Promotion, Place.
The essential ingredients of the marketing mix, and the
start of 75% of all marketing presentations.
Problem, Rectification, Investigation,
Correction. Known as the corrective action loop. The
essential four stages for good quality management practice, customer service
development, quality of service, and general personal development. The main
point is that rectifying the problem is only half the story; you need to ensure
there is no recurrence.
PRIDE
Personal Responsibility In Delivering
Excellence. A bit of an acronym cheat because 'for'
would sound much better than 'in', but PRFDE doesn't have quite the same ring to
it. (Courtesy Mr Bull, of the England Rugby Union national team coaching
staff.)
PRojects In Controlled
Environments. As the UK Office of Government Commerce explains, the PRINCE
methodology "...was first developed by the UK government in 1989 as the standard
approach to IT project management for central government. Since then, the method
has been enhanced (and named PRINCE2) to become a generic, best practice
approach suitable for the management of all types of projects, and has a proven
record outside both IT and government sectors. PRINCE2 has been widely adopted
and adapted by both the public and private sectors and is now the UK's de facto
standard for project management..." PRINCE2 aims to enable:
- consistency of
approach
- control and
organisation at all times
- regular reviews
against plan
- continuing business
justification
- flexible decision
points
- management control of
deviations
- appropriate and timely
management and stakeholder involvement
- effective
communications between project and all involved and affected
- identification of and
learning from project lessons
- options for project
management skills improvement for all staff
Previously
Undiscovered Recruiting Error. A relatively recent new employee who is not
quite working out as expected... Remember - it ain't their fault - it's the
organisation which makes the decision to hire, not the candidate.. (Ack R
Gesling)
QUALGO
Quasi Autonomous Local
Government organization. Younger brother to QUANGO, and not nearly so
famous.
QUANGO
QUasi Autonomous
Non-Governmental Organization. Now also ironically and alternatively
interpreted (ack AM) as Quite Unacceptable And Nasty Government Offshoot.
Either way, the QUANGO acronym is now firmly established as a word in its own
right. In generations to come, folk will muse over its origins and whether the
wrestler of the same name (Johnny Kwango - phonetically the same that is), who
used to polish his forehead with a towel before administering his trademark
head-but, had anything to do with the term.
QED
Quod Erat
Demonstrandum. The literal translation from the Latin is 'which (or what)
was to be proved', and in this strict sense the expression has been used in
physics and mathematics for centuries. However the QED expression has become
more widely adopted in recent times generally meaning 'thus we have proved the
proposition stated above as we were required to do', or perhaps put more simply,
'point proven'. Originally QED was used by Greek mathematician Euclid, c.300 BC,
when he appended the letters to his geometric theorems.
QFD
Quality Function
Deployment. Japanese quality and service development
model.
RADAR
RAdio Detection And
Ranging. One of the best known acronyms to have entered the language isn't a
true acronym at all, but then RDAR doesn't trip off the tongue nearly so well.
RADAR also represents the quality management assessment process used in
connection with the European
Quality Management Model: Results, Approach, Deployment, Assessment,
Review.
RABADAD
Running A Business And
Doing A Degree. Members of this kind of virtual club (otherwise known as
SISA - self-inflicted social abstinence) will recognise the need for such a
concept. (Thanks Jane Penson).
RFI
Request For
Information. Sales department shorthand. Special priority when use in
conjunction with RFN (see below).
RFP
Request For
Proposal. More sales department shorthand. Also high priority when
accompanied by RFN (see above).
REME
Rough Engineering Made
Easy. More convenionally the acronym stands for Royal Electrical and
Mechanical Engineers. (Ack IB)
Really Here In Name
Only. An acronym for when we'd rather be somewhere else, and a reminder for
us when arranging activities for others: people usually have other priorities,
so respect and make the best possible use of other people's time. See also MEGO, LANO,
PEARL.
Rich Ordinary
Briton. Demographic acronym, wealthy people who regard themselves as
'working class', according to the Future Foundation, accounting for 2.67m of the
UK population (May 2006), and the top 20% according to monetary
worth.
ROI
Return On
Investment. Fundamantal measure of business performance (of a whole
business, a part of a business, a business activity or decision - anything with
a cost and attributable profit). See the explanation in the Financial
Terms section.
RORO
Roll On Roll Off.
Originally and still a type of cross-channel ferry, whereby cars and trucks
board one end and disembark at the other. Now more widely applied to any form of
relatively indiscriminate and fast-turnaround no-nonsense high-volume human
processing method (eg., NHS dentists, general practitioners, Spanish holiday
tattoo parlours, etc.)
ROTFLA..
Rolling On The Floor
Laughing And... Internet and texting abbreviation prefix with too many
variations to mention here, aside from two of the better examples: ROTFLABIC =
Rolling On The Floor Laughing And Biting Into Carpet, and ROTFLAPIMP = Rolling
On The Floor Laughing And Peeing In My Pants.
RPM
Resale Price
Maintenance. The UK Net Book Agreement, as was. Means by which retail prices
are controlled by primary suppliers. (Alternatively, Revolutions Per
Minute, as in engine speed and 78, 33 and 45 records. In years to come how
many people will know that LP stood originally for Long
Player?)
RSVP
Respondez S'il Vous
Plait. Meaning 'please reply', RSVP is traditionally printed on invitations
to weddings and parties, etc., as a request for the recipient to reply.
Literally translated as 'reply if it you pleases', or more recognisably, 'reply
please', since 's'il vous plait' has long meant 'please' in French, literally
from the earlier full construction of 'if it pleases you'. The practice of using
French phrases in English society etiquette dates from hundreds of years ago
when French was used in the English royal court, which underpinned the tendency
for certain features of French lifestyle and language to have been adopted by
the 'aspiring' English classes. The word 'etiquette'
itself is of course fittingly French. (Thanks MK for pointing out this
omission)
RUB
Rich Urban Biker.
Another amusing demographics social category acronym. See also GLAM, HOPEFUL,
DINKY, ORCHID, etc
7S
Skills, Strategy,
Structure, Style, Systems, Staff, Shared values. The McKinsey
organizations's famous 7S model for organizational culture, analysis and
development. The idea is that the first six S's combine to form the seventh:
'shared values' (Ack S Dockerill)
S2D2 (SSDD)
Same
Stuff Different Day. Toned down version. This motto of the downtrodden has
been around for decades. If your work really makes you feel this way then
perhaps it's time to suggest a few changes or move on. We are all here on this
Earth only once (depening on your religious outlook) - whatever, life is too
short to waste it doing a job that you hate. And if you are managing people who
feel S2D2 about their jobs then for goodness sake
do someting about it. A free SSDD colour poster is
available from the free businessballs posters page for anyone suffering in a
S2D2 organisation and wishing to give a bit of free
feedback to the hierarchy. And if you are a CEO and see a few SSDD posters appearing around
the place then perhaps ask yourself why. It's not the people who are bad - it's
the organisation, and that's down to you mate. The S2D2 mathematical acronym interpretation may well have
first been suggested by author Tom Clancy (Ack V O'Grady and L D Gray) - if you
know more please contact us.
SABENA
Such A Bad Experience,
Never Again. This now widely applicable acronym was seemingly pioneered by
Belgian people, referring, in English interestingly, to the Belgian Sabena
airline company (which for the record was properly titled 'Societe Anonyme Belge
d'Exploitation de la Navigation Aerienne'). See also DELTA. (Ack Anon and M)
Other airline-based
acronyms.
SADFAB
Single And Desperate
For A Baby. Modern demographics acronym, reflecting changing times. The
world is becoming a lonelier place seemingly.
Suburban Asset
Lightweight. Demographic acronym, representing not so well-off people who
regard themselves as 'middle class', according to the Future Foundation,
accounting for 1.84m of the UK population (May 2006), and the bottom 20%
according to monetary worth.
Syndicat des
Constructeurs d'Appareils Radiorécepteurs at Téléviseurs. It must be said
that this acronym is here for interest rather than humour. It's a good quiz
question, especially if you insist on the accents over the letter e's. It's also
an example of an acronym entering everyday language whose origins are unknown by
99.99% of the population. A SCART cable or lead is of course the 21-pin device
for linking TV and audio and video equipment, developed from the French
standards group represented by the root words above. (Ack M
Andrews)
SCUBA
Self-Contained
Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Classic acronym now established as a word in
the language, and another good acronym for quizzes, (ack KBS). A wonderful
contribution from Tim Boyd suggests an amusing alternative SCUBA interpretation,
from a diving instructor in Hawaii, who suggests that the 'real' meaning of
SCUBA is Swimmer Comes Up Barely Alive, which is a lot more fun than the
technical origin. The diving instructor apparently trades as 'Charlie Dolphun'.
Anyone able to shed any light on his true identity for proper attribution please
let me
know.
SCRIM
Shape, Colour,
Registration, Identifying features, Make & model. Acronym for
identifying vehicles involved in incidents, used by UK forces and services
staff.
Systeme Electronique
Couleur Avec Memoire. The French virtual-equivalent to the UK-originated PAL TV
broadcast standard, alternatively and amusingly known as System Essentially
Contrived (from the) American Method, or perhaps more fittingly as System
Essentially Contrary (to the) American Method, both probably originating
from early US TV engineers who developed the forerunning US NTSC
standard. The notion that the SECAM system probably owes less to the Americans
than to the British method is lost, since although 'Anglican Method' fits the
acronym more accurately, it would have entirely different connotations.... (Ak
DH and Mike)
SEP
Someone Else's
Problem. Originally from Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy; now in wider use:
eg., customer service applications, inter-departmental negotiations as to
ownership of issues and follow-up, etc. (Ack P Resheph)
SHOT IT
Should Have Ordered This In Time. Customer services
and despatch expression, especially appropriate approaching department
close-down for weekends, holidays, Christmas, etc., and a personal reminder not
to leave things until the last moment.
SINA
Safety Is No Accident. Acronym of the clever double-meaning
maxim from USA industry for health and safety training and promotion. (Ack P
Lock)
SINBAD
Single Income No Boyfriend And Desperate. Demographics
acronym from the Bridget Jones era. (Ack. John)
SITCOM
Single Income Two
Children Oppressive Mortgage. For consumer customer
profiling, Maslow Hierarchy of Needs examples, etc.
SKI-ing
Spending the Kids' Inheritance. Antidote acronym to
KIPPERS. (Ack JW)
SLA
Service Level Agreement. A remarkably simple and effective
mechanism for ensuring good working or trading relationships, typically between
customer and supplier, but also between departments, partners or any parties
co-operating to achieve a consistent result. A Service Level Agreement
establishes mutually understood and acceptable expectations between two or more
parties, for instance, quotation request response times; breakdown service
response time; chargeable and non-chargeable support items. SLA's are useful
also in establishing co-operation between departments, in order to maintain
quality, efficiency and supply chain or order flow service quality, for instance
complaint escalation timescales; survey requests; pricing requests, anything
where one party expects something of another. There is no limit to the number of
SLA's that can be established, although recording and publishing them in a
sensible format are essential or they won't be observed. (SLA also stands for
Strategic Link Analysis, the process which measures a website's search engine
rating by virtue of the number and type of links to it from other websites.) See
also trading agreements and templates.
Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic,
Time-bound. If you're setting a
standard, or an objective for yourself, or agreeing an objective with another
person, the task or standard must meet these criteria to be effective. Other
interpretations of the SMART acronym exist, for example Specific, Measurable,
Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. The version which includes 'agreed' is
arguably more powerful because this represents the emotional contract with
whomever is expected to meet the objective or standard. The SMARTER version
below is more powerful and relevant for the moden world because it includes the
essential philosophical aspect. Avoid interpretations that include both
Achievable and Realistic because the words effectly mean the same so is a waste
of a word. (See the Smartie
Hunt team building game and MMM acronym.) See the different SMART and
SMARTER posters on the posters page.
Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic,
Time-bound, Ethical, Recorded. The
deluxe version of the SMART acronym, a blueprint for all objectives and
responsibilities, especially delegation, for oneself or when agreeing
objectives, tasks and projects with others. Traditional interpretations of the
SMARTER acronym use 'Exciting' or 'Enjoyable' instead of 'Ethical', but in a
delegation context, let's face it, it is not always possible to ensure that all
delegated work is 'exciting' for the recipient. Whereas the 'Ethical' aspect is
fundamentally important for everything that we do, assuming you subscribe to
such philosophy. See the different SMART and SMARTER posters on the posters page.
Situation Normal - All Fouled Up.
Obviously this is the more polite version, included here because of its
historical interest. The acronym is from the second world war, when widely used by the Americans
forces, and incidentally later used as name by 1970's US rock band, SNAFU
(obviously). Remains a widely used description by front-line staff of an
incompetent management. See the wonderful wall picture
showing the SNAFU and AEOBE acronyms.
SNAG
Sensitive New-Age
Guy. Demographics acronym and dating
term.
SNERT
Snot-Nosed Egotistical
Rude Teenager. Demographics acronym of
sorts.
Situation, Opportunity,
Action, Result, (Reflect). Action-based mnemonic with sound principles.
Apparently favoured by the Royal Mail. (Ack M
Andrews)
SOB
Shortness Of
Breath. (ODSA) Commonly used medical acronym when writing patient histories.
The abbreviation is occasionally doubled-up for amusing effect to describe a
particularly obnoxious patient with the complaint, ie., SOB - SOB. (SOB
alternatively and perhaps more conventionally means Son Of a Bitch.) (Ack
DC)
SOGI
Senior Officer's Good
Idea. Sardonic and amusing acronym from the military and emergency services.
(See also WAGII - thanks Mick Whelan)
SOHO
Small Office/Home
Office. Acronym expression for the 'virtual office' environment and
characteristics found in self-employed and small businesses, that are
increasingly prevalent in the modern business age.
SONAR
SOund NAvigation and
Ranging. The SONAR acronym, which typically describes anti-submarine
underwater detection technology, originated as an American term in World War II.
The SONAR acronym, a natural sister expression to RADAR (neither is strictly a
true acronym, more an abbreviation) like RADAR entered the language as a word in
its own right many years ago. The British equivalent of SONAR, was ASDICS, which
stood for Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee. It is easy to see
why the SONAR version was preferred.
SONTTAP
Say Only Nice Things To
All People. Devised originally for school-children, this acronym touches on
a fundamental principle for peace of mind and a happy fulfilled life. See
particularly The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (agreement 1 - Be
impeccable with your word), also links to Buddhism, NLP, etc. (Ack Anstey
Latimer School)
SOS
Save Our Souls. The
international 'Mayday' radio distress call for help, which was originally
transmitted in morse code by mariners in peril and otherwise endangered folk.
For interest here is the Mayday
word origin.
SOSTAC®
Situation analysis,
Objectives, Strategy, Tactics, Action, Control. SOSTAC®
is a business marketing planning system developed by writer and speaker PR Smith
in the 1990's. A summary of the SOSTAC® model is here.
Contrary to popular thinking, SOSTAC® is a protected
trademark owned by the originator PR Smith, whom you can find at prsmith.org. As
with any protected intellectual property the use of SOSTAC®
methods and materials in the provision of training and development is likely to
be subject to licensing conditions. If in doubt ask the IP owner. (ack PR Smith
and T Rowe)
SPC
Statistical Process Control.
Forerunning quality theory from the 1960's to TQC and
TQM.
SPEW
Single Person
Evaluation Worksheet. A timesheet, in other words. Sarcastic term for a list
of activities and times, etc., that you have to submit to justify your existence
within an organisation. (Ack R Oakley)
SPIN®
Situation,
Problem, Implication, Need. One of the most enduring selling acronyms,
developed by Neil Rackham during the 1970's-80's; the SPIN® Selling
model is still a mainstay of his Huthwaite International training
organization. The SPIN® selling process remains an extremely useful method for
sales discussion with a prospective customer. Huthwaite actually say
'Need-payoff' instead of 'Need', but 'SPINP' just doesn't have the same
cachet..... Incidentally, please note that the copyright rights in Neil
Rackham's book, SPIN Selling, are owned by Huthwaite, Inc., (huthwaite.com).
Depending upon the geographic territory, the rights in the trademarks SPIN® and
SPIN SELLING® are owned by either Huthwaite Inc of the US, or Huthwaite
International of the UK. Be advised that SPIN® and SPIN SELLING® methods and
materials are not to be used in the provision of training and development
products and services without a licence.
SPOH
Safe Pair Of Hands. Describes trustworthy people and
organizations, especially when valuable and important responsibilities are being
delegated or awarded. Very modern business-speak, much loved by men in suits who
use terms like 'a big win' (a new contract) and 'leverage' (being able to
exploit a situation or aspect of strategy for
advantage).
SQ3R
Survey, Question, Read, Recall,
Review. Impossible to pronounce, but
nevertheless a great discipline for the learning-through-reading process. It
basically means quickly Survey the whole thing (ie look but not in detail), next
note down your Question areas, then Read it in detail, Recall your questions and
Review the material you've read. (Ack. Don Clark)
STEPPPA (also STEPPA)
Subject, Target, Emotion, Perception, Plan, Pace,
Adapt/Act. The STEPPPA (or altenatively referred to as STEPPA) aconym
represents a coaching (notably life-coaching in a business context) model advocated by
expert coach Angus McLeod, which is now central to much UK formal accredited
life-coaching training. Based partly on NLP (Neuro-Linguistic programming) principles, the STEPPPA
process entails:
- validating the subject (the issue or matter) that is the
focus of the person being coached (coachee)
- validating or helping to establish the specific target
(or goal) of the coachee
- ensure emotional context is addressed and resolved
relating to the coachee, the issue, and the target, which if appropriate
should be re-evaluated
- widen perception and choice in the mind of the
coachee
- help the coachee establish a clear plan (process with
steps, not choices), and pace (timescale and milestones); or perhaps a
timeline that incorporates both plan and pace
- review plan, adapt if necessary, before committing to
action.
STIO/SIO
SupraTentorial in Origin. Nurses' and Doctors' healthcare
acronym. Supratentorial means above the neck, so the acronym is a covert way to
say that the illness is all in the imagination. (Ack
LR)
STM
Skill, Task, Measure. The classic process for developing skills in
people: identify the Skill, agree a Task for the trainee to
perform that will involve using the skill, and then Measure the
performance, ie the trainee's command of the skill.
Shut Up Move On. Now a trademark associated with
motivational speaker and author Paul McGee ('The SUMO Guy'), the SUMO acronym is
a powerful maxim for a positive successful approach to life and work. SUMO has
strong connections with the Transactional Analysis and NLP principles of self-reliance, emotional maturity, and
focus on future not blame. See also FIDO.
SVM
Silicon Valley Management. Modern management style
pioneered by David Packard and William Hewlett, HP founders, and other
successful US companies based in the area of California known as Silicon Valley
(so called after the silicon chips, central to the computer industries)
including principles such as MBWA (Management By Walking Around), MBO's
(Management By Objectives) and Open Door Policy/Management. See also
MBWA.
SWMBO ('swambo')
She Who Must Be Obeyed. The theoretical partner acronym
HWMBO has for some reason never really caught on... (Ack. D
Pagett)
SWAG
Scientific Wild Arsed Guess. This is ideal for those situations when someone can't bring
themselves to come up with an opening estimate, even though they're the best
placed person to do so. Great for encouraging technical/detailed/finisher people
who might be uncomfortable with the vagueness of the start of the creative
process. WAG = shortened less scientific form. (Ack. Don
Clark)
SWALK
Sealed With A Loving
Kiss. A kind of wartime envelope text message to a loved one. (See also
HOLLAND, EGYPT, CHIP, ITALY and NORWICH)
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities,
Threats. Famous marketing analysis headings acronym, and
actually a very useful framework for interpreting and explaining business
situations. See the free SWOT analysis template and examples, and free
SWOT exercise team building game. See also the PEST acronym.
Use either or both in business presentations to impress and convince your
audience that you know a bit about marketing.
TAPES
Technique And Practice (or Pressure)
Equals Skill. Technique alone is not enough. Application of a new
technique in a practice or pressure situation is required to turn the technique
into a skill and then improve it.
TANSTAAFL
There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free
Lunch. A double negative, but who
cares - it's a great acronym. For anyone who needs reminding of the realities of
the business world. (Ack Dr Neale Roney.) For detail of the origin of TANSTAAFL
see the entry in the cliches
origins section.
TARDIS
Time And Relative
Dimension(s) In Space. Dr Who's company car, so to speak. I'm unsure as to
whether it's one or a number of dimensions. Perhaps someone will
clarify?...
TATT
Tired All The Time. (ODSA). Great
for dead products, over-used ideas, lazy employees, old dogmas and philosophies,
the list goes on....
Triple Bottom Line. The modern criteria for sustainable
organisational and business success: the Triple Bottom Line - Profit, People,
Planet. TBL (or 3BL) is fast becoming a highly significant and
influential factor in the success of businesses and organisations. While the
robustness of '3BL accounting' principles are still subject to much debate,
there is no doubt that customers and staff are increasingly aware, and expect
ever more, in terms of corporate responsibility and all that it extends to:
business ethics, social and community responsibility, environmental
sustainability, fair trade, etc. Organisations which understand and incorporate
TBL principles into their fabric and behaviour are therefore more likely to
thrive and grow, assuming staff and customers continue to assess and make
decisions about supplirs and employers from a 'triple bottom line'
perspective.
T-CUP
Total Control Under Pressure. Used to emphasise the need
for concentration and focus, by the England rugby coaching
staff.
Together Everyone Achieves More. A simple truth, and a
great acronym for training and team building. (Ack C Keeble) Alternatively
Teach Everyone About Motivation. (Ack M Andrews)
TEETH
Tried Everything Else?..Try Homeopathy.
Another ODSA, but perfectly admissable outside the
medical arena, such as counselling or stress training. Also good for sales and
marketing campaigns that never seem to work.
TEPID
Tastes Expensive,
Pension Inadequate, Dammit. Alternative to HOPEFUL.
TESOL
Teaching English to
Speakers of Other Languages. At first glance this acronym is only of use if
you are involved in teaching English as a foreign language. There are other
applications however, for example, to emphasise the need for technicians and
bureaucrats to use plain English in writing technical manuals and instructions
for users. Aternatively (ack LC) TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign
Language.
THICK
Those Having
Insufficient Cerebral Kinesis. Amusing, esoteric, and utterly
non-politically correct term. If using this it's as well to understand exatly
what it means to avoid being undone by someone bold enough to demand a proper
explanation, so: in this context kinesis means broadly 'body activity', from the
root Greek kinein, meaning to move. Cerebral of course relates to the brain and
thinking, from Greek kara, meaning head, and later Latin cerebrum, meaning
brain. (Ack F Guertler)
TIC
Taken Into
Consideration. As found in legal margins. (Also Tongue In
Cheek - a device for reducing the risks
associated with using humour or sarcasm. Ack H Niklaus.)
TIP
Theory Into
Practice. General call-to-action acronym. A good mnemonic for
end-of-training or meetings, when responsibilities and accountabilities need to
be attached to ideas and plans, with commitment to implementation and
timescales. (Ack LW). See also the suggested origin
of 'Tip' meaning 'gratuity' in the cliches origins page.
TINA
There Is No
Alternative. For that extra bit of emphasis - interestingly attributed to
Baroness Margaret Thatcher.
TLA
Three Letter
Acronym. Of course.
TLAR
That Looks About
Right. The TLAR standards - recognised all around the world - amusing and
very important sounding Quality Assurance Standard acronym, ideal for giving
humourous emphasis to sorts of issues relating to quality management and
customer service. (Ack KH)
TMI
Three Meaningless
Initials. Antidote to the TLA. Also 'Too Much Information'. (Ack M
P)
TNT
Thanks, but No
Thanks. Shorthand for the rejection letter pile, for unsuccesful job
applicants, inappropriate sales propositions, or anything worthy of polite
refusal. (Ack S Parkes)
TOBASH
Take Out Back And
SHoot. (ODSA) Superb nurses abbreviation shorthand for the worst patients.
Commonly and covertly used in Los Angeles, and no doubt elsewhere. (Ack
KT)
TOIS
Task Oriented Instructional System.
The basis of experiential learning and training - as in 'I
do and I understand' (see the Confucius quotation). Use in conjuntion with
TAPES. The Task provides the Pressure element which when applied to the
Technique produces Skill. (Ack. Don Clark)
TOTBAL
There Ought To Be A
Law.... Sounds like it should be a TV game show. Cliche-based acronym and a
good basis for discussions and exercises - see team
building games.
TQC
Total Quality Control. Forerunning theory from the 1970's to TQM, and
successor to SPC..
TQM
Total Quality Management. Most people believe that the Japanese TQM
philosophy, if not all the products, was home-grown in Japan. Not so. A little
known fact is that the two American gurus, Juran and Edwards-Deming, taught the
Japanese all they know about Total Quality Management in the 1950's. To the
Japanese, they are both still revered as industrial
icons.
TQMS
Total Quality Management System. Extension of TQM,
describing the system by which a company manages Total Quality. Allegedly when
the Lockheed Aircraft company introduced their own Total Quality Management
System some years ago their engineers devised an alternative meaning - Time
to Quit and Move to Seattle (home of competitor Boeing). (Ack SG)
TRIP
Transaction, Relationship, Information,
Partnership. The sequential development of a successful
customer-supplier co-operation.
TSSBAT
(tissbat)
The Student Should Be
Able To... This is a terrific acronym for emphasising and agreeing
expectations of responsibility, capability, action plans, objectives, etc.; any
situation where responsibility or knowledge is needs to be confirmed. (Ack.
LW)
TTS and CCC
Teams, Tools, Systems and Culture,
Communication, Commitment. The hard and soft elements of the Total Quality Management model.
Every quality company has these things in place.
TUPE
Transfer of
Undertakings for Protection of Employment. The UK's TUPE regulations are
employment legislation which dictate proper process and employer's obligations
regarding the transfer of staff from one employer to another, for example in the
case of transfer of staff to an outsourced services supplier. Employers
transferring out and transferring in staff should ensure they understand these
laws, especially before concluding negotiations about the sale, purchase or
transfer of business interests.
TWAIN
Technology Without An
Interesting Name. 'TWAIN' is the de facto compliance interface standard for
scanning devices, and the name of the group formed in 1992 (by vendors such as
Adobe, Ricoh, Xerox and Kodak) with the purpose of developing and promoting the
'TWAIN Initiative'. TWAIN actually originated as as a metaphorical name - not an
acronym - based on literal meaning of twain, which is 'two' or 'two things'.
Inspiration for this came from the opening line of Rudyard Kipling's 1889 poem,
Ballad Of East And West: "Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the
twain shall meet." Considering that the technology is concerned with connecting
two functions - that of driver and application - this seems perfectly logical.
However, the clever folks at TWAIN decided to use the word in upper case
(apparently to improve its distinctiveness), which contributed first to the
belief that is was an acronym, and next to a competition to create an acronym
root phrase retrospectively from the word (sponsored by who or what I don't
know), with the result that many now believe the word came from the acronym and
not vice-versa. The TWAIN group iteself acknowledges that the expression
continues to haunt the standard. Incidentally the next lines of the poem are:
"...Till Earth and Sky
stand presently at God's great Judgment Seat;
But there is neither East nor
West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth,
When two strong men stand face to face,
tho' they come from the ends of the earth!"
(Ack. M
Rosling)
TWOC
Taking Without Owner's
Consent. Legal and police acronym describing theft of some sort. This gives
rise also to the use of the word in slang verb form: 'twoc' meaning to steal, or
more euphemistically, to fail to return something borrowed. For example: "Did
you buy that rather fetching hotel bathrobe or do you twoc
it?....."
UBI
Unexplained Beer
Injury. (ODSA) Drunk, with injuries of unknown origin. Acronym from Nova
Scotia orthopaedics nusing, and widely applicable elsewhere. (Ack KP)
UFLA
Unidentified Four
Letter Acronym. Companion acronym to UTLA.
yoU Must Be Really
Old. Acronym remarking that someone's choice of attire or other tell-tale
behaviour gives their age away; for example, mobile phones over a year old,
wearing a coat in the winter, cooking fresh vegetables, phoning instead of
emailing, never having heard of myspace.com, using a pen and notepad, walking
anywhere, etc. (Ack P&J)
UNIVAC
Unusually Nasty Infection; Vultures Are Circling. (ODSA)
Wonderful dark humour self-explanatory healthcare acronym from orthopaedic
nursing in Nova Scotia, Canada. (Ack KP)
UPB
Unique Perceived Benefit. Your USP from the customer's perspective. What your USP means to
your customer. It's essential to discuss it in these terms with your customer.
USP
Unique Selling Point (or Proposition).
You can't be very successful in any business unless you have
at least one USP, that is to say - you've got to be doing something that nobody
else is doing.
UTLA
Unidentified Three
Letter Acronym. More interesting than the straight TLA. See also UFLA
above.
VEST
Very Egotistical Stupid Twit. Slightly toned down interpretation.
Socialising/Dating terminology. Transfers easily to other environments,
including work situations. Typically applicable to the male of the species, and
especially applicable when subject is wearing said garment.
VIOT
Village Idiot On Tour.
Informal acronym used by London Transport staff to describe certain types of
visitor to London, particularly those struggling to comprehend the Underground
system and blaming everyone but themselves for their confusion. (Ack A
Butler)
VIP
Visually Impaired
Person. Semi-official acronym used by London Transport referring to a blind
or partially sighted person needing assistance. A fitting customer service
variation on the traditional 'Very Important Person' meaning. (Ack AB) See also
MIP.
Wind Assisted Flaming
Idiot. This interpretation is obviously the polite version. Essentially a
maritime term, but actually transferable to anyone who blusters and blunders
about, having no regard for the safety of others, and no control of the forces
that they seek to dominate. The acronym originates (Ack E Creswick) from the UK
Coast Guard, RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) and other maritime
agencies, who use WAFI in marine VHF messages to describe an incident or
potential incident at sea in which lives are at risk, usually due to the actions
of an idiot in charge of a small sailboat getting into difficulty or causing
trouble to others. The WAFI expression is however far more potent and meaningful
when applied to certain leaders of governments and large corporations who embark
on or maintain activities and policies which recklessly and arrogantly endanger
and undermine people's well-being and safety everywhere. The WAFI leader is a
sad phenomenon of the modern age that will come to an end when ordinary people
use their collective power to change things.
WAG
Wild Arsed
Guess. Shortened form of SWAG, and earlier in the creative process - even
before the project makes it onto the cigarette packet or napkin. (Ack. Don
Clark) WAG is not to be confused with WAGs, meaning 'Wives And Girlfriends', as
seemingly concocted by the UK tabloid press with reference to the partners of
England's footballers at the 2006 World Cup in
Germany.
WAGII
What A Good Idea If... Sardonic term from the armed forces,
but eminently transferable and just as effective in describing any daft
instruction from the idiots above. (Ack. Mick
Whelan)
WAGNER
Wild Assed Guess, Not Easily Refuted. Extension of the SWAG
and WAG acronyms. Perhaps based ironically and unfairly on the admirable Wagner
Free Institute of the US which provides the oldest free adult education
programme in America, as well as a huge library and information service covering
scientific history. The acronym more likely originated as a means of poking fun
at those who habitually quoted the Wagner Institute as a 'source' for statistics
and research information. (Ack D Maguire)
WALOC
What A Load Of Crap. Multiple use acronym. Fascinatingly,
the meaning is almost entirely conveyed phonetically in the abbreviation, such
is the way many people, speaking lazily or fast, would pronounce the phrase,
ie., " wa' lo' cra' ".
WANF
Wet Arse No Fish. Acronym to describe one of those days
when you've planned to do all sorts of things and yet not managed to achieve
any. (Ack A Humphreys)
WASP
White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. The first and original
demographics acronym? As featured in countless American police chase movies when
the good guys are rushing out the description of the bad guys in the first
frantic APB. (See APB)
WHY
What Have
You. Alternative to 'etc'.
WIFE
Wash Iron Fornicate Etc. Polite version. Alpha-males might
not necessarily appreciate the supreme ironic quality of this
acronym.
What's In It For Me? The essential element of all successful communications, and the
principle of persuasion and influence. If there's nothing in it for the other
person, they may hear but they won't really listen, and without the WIIFM factor
they'll never commit to action. An example of the WIIFM factor in selling:
Airman Peters was assigned to the Air Force induction training centre to explain
and sell the Air Force Life Insurance to new conscripts. The office manager
noticed that amazingly Peters' success rate was close on 100%, so he decided to
listen to Peters' technique. After outlining the insurance policy basics to the
new recruits, Peters was heard to say: "If you're killed in action and have the
Air Force Insurance, the government has to pay £500,000 to your beneficiaries,
whereas if you don't have the insurance, compensation is just the statutory
£15,000." Peters paused, and then finished with the WIIFM line, "So which group
do you think they are going to send into action first?..."
WINDOWS
Will Install Needless
Data On Whole System. Classic ironic 'backronym'.
Perhaps a little unfair, but need we say more?...
Work It Out For Your
Flipping Self. Polite version. WIOFYFS is actually a wonderful maxim for
developing personal self-reliance and for organisations who want their people to
be self-reliant and always growing. Why wait for someone else to give you the
answers if you can work it out yourself? Today's organisations need to encourage
their people to take initiative, and modern managers need to support people in
doing so, even if mistakes are made. (See the guides to delegating
and the Tannenbum & Schmidt model relating to developing teams).
See also GAAFOFY. WIOFYFS was allegedly (Ack Rob Carr) originated by a touring
rugby team for tour T-shirt slogan. For a free WIOFYFS colour poster see the free businessballs posters page.
WOFTAM
Waste Of Flipping Time
And Money. Originated in the Australian Army and now
deservedly in wider use. Eg, "I have to work the weekend on the latest company
WOFTAM project." (Ack L Speden)
WOMBAT
Waste Of Money, Brains And Time. Another great acronym from
down-under. Ideal for project management commentaries, certain corporate
re-branding schemes, the latest government training initiative, etc. (Ack D
Martin) The WOMBAT acronym is alternatively interpreted into meaning Women -
Over Men, Beer And Television, a term used by women and men to describe a
certain type of man who prioritises his fondness for women over and above the
stereotypical 'bloke' pursuits. (Ack M Christiansen)
WOOF
Well Off Older Folk. Also referred to as WOOFs; A variant of
WOOP below.
WOOP
Well Off Older Person. Also known as Woopie (as in Yuppie)
The new focus of so many modern advertising campaigns. See also SAGA and GLAM,
and WOOF above.
WOTCHA
Wonderful Old Thing
Considering His/Her Age. Patronising alternative to HOPEFUL and
TEPID.
WRAP
Wind, Reel And
Print. Now used to denote the completion of any project ('it's a wrap'),
this is supposedly originally a movie-makers' term, used when filming is
completed.
WYSBYGI
What You See Before You
Get It. Excellent
variation on the ubiquitous WYSIWYG. Ideal for presenting concepts to stupid
boards of directors, who don't understand the creative process (like the true
story about the director of a $multi-million company who complained that a
concept advertisement layout was full of gobbledegook. It was of course the
random text that designers use instead of copy before the real stuff is written.
True I assure you.) (Ack. Don Clark)
What
You See Is What You Get. If you've accessed this archive via the Internet you'll probably
know this one already, as WYSIWYG is now common computer jargon, although not
always true. Nevertheless, this famous acronym has applications just about
everywhere, and is an excellent reminder of the importance of visualising
outcomes in order to achieve results. Contrast the planned, measured WYSIWYG
approach to IKIWISI
above.
What You Get Is What You Deserve. A maxim for life and personal
responsibility: you get out what you put in - you reap what you sow. WYGIWYD is
also a great reminder that people are more likely to perform to their fullest
potential when they are given fair reward and recognition. Also relevant for
project planning and all matters of investing in people, development, plant and
equipment, etc: if you want good results then invest properly and act with
integrity. WYGIWYD also emphasises the importance of communicating fully and
properly with people whom you expect to produce results of any sort: internal
and external staff and suppliers, designers, programmers, writers, etc. A free
WYGIWYD poster is available from the businessballs free posters page. (thanks L Speden for the
acronym)
You Always
Have Other Options. While this is ostensibly a corporation backronym, this
particular interpretation provides a wonderful mnemonic and aid for training and
coaching - to encourage others to 'think outside of the box' and to visualise
new directions and goals. The 'Eureka!' feel of the YAHOO word of course adds to
the effect of liberating and lifting one's limits. For the other more ordinary
corporation-oriented YAHOO backronyms see the corporation
backronyms list.)
YAVIS
Young, Attractive, Verbal, Intelligent, Successful.
Another demographic acronym.
YOYO
You're On Your Own. Obvious and
wide-ranging uses, particularly for those moments when someone's digging a hole
for themselves or trying to flog a dead horse. Also a great partner acronym for
JFDI, to reinforce the notion of self-determination and self-reliance. (Ack. Don
Clark)
YUPPIE
Young Upwardly-mobile Professional. Alternatively
'Young Urban Professional'. Perhaps the best known acronym-derived demographic
term ever to have entered common parlance, but not strictly a full proper
acronym. Should really be YUMP, which in some ways resonates more amusingly than
YUPPIE, but would it have caught on?...... (Seemingly 'Young, Upwardly-Mobile
Professionals' were originally called YUMPIES - but the term was quickly
superseded by YUPPIES, which was alternatively defined as 'young urban
professionals'. As is a factor in much of the development of language and
expressions, the -y or -ie endings were added for greater euphony - ie., to make
the words sound more pleasing to the ear - like the plural DINKIES (as an
extension of DINK) to which incidentally restrospectively the 'yet' was added to
make it DINKY. Ack JW)
If you have your own
suggestions for this acronym finder please send them via the contact us
page.
Here in one section are
all the lifestyle and demographics profiles acronyms that feature in the
dictionary above. These amusing and occasionally less-than-PC acronyms and
abbreviations are an increasing presence in our language. The expressions
reflect social change and also changing attitudes to certain lifestyles and
values. If you have examples of other lifestyle and demographics acronyms please send
them. For fuller descriptions and contributors where applicable see the
entries as they appear above.
Bankrupt Unemployed Rejected Person. See Maslow.
Double Income No Kids
Yet.
Greying, Leisured,
Affluent, Married.
GOFER
Genial Old Farts
Enjoying Retirement. Alternative meaning in similar context is Genial Old
Fisherman Enjoying Recreation.
HEW
High Earning
Worker.
Hard-up Old Person
Expecting Full Useful Life.
KIPPERS
Kids In Parents' Pockets Eroding Retirement
Savings.
LOMBARD
Loads Of Money But A Real Donut.
LIFER
Lazy Ignorant Fool Expecting
Retirement.
MUPPIE
Middle-aged Urban
Professional.
OINKY
One Income, No Kids
Yet.
ORCHID
One Recent Child,
Heavily In Debt.
RABADAD
Running A Business And
Doing A Degree.
ROB
Rich Ordinary
Briton.
RUB
Rich Urban
Biker.
SADFAB
Single And Desperate
For A Baby.
SAL
Suburban Asset
Lightweight.
SINBAD
Single Income No Boyfriend And Desperate.
SITCOM
Single Income Two
Children Oppressive Mortgage.
SKI-ing
Spending the Kids' Inheritance.
SNAG
Sensitive New-Age
Guy.
SNERT
Snot-Nosed Egostical
Rude Teenager.
TEPID
Tastes Expensive,
Pension Inadequate, Dammit.
VEST
Very Egotistical Stupid Twit.
WASP
White Anglo-Saxon
Protestant.
WOOF
Well Off Older Folk.
WOOP
Well Off Older Person.
WOTCHA
Wonderful Old Thing
Considering His/Her Age.
YUPPIE
Young Upwardly-mobile
Professional.
Here in one section are
all the healthcare acronyms featured in the dictionary above. These outrageous
acronyms and abbreviations (identified in the dictionary listing above by the
term ODSA, which stands for Original Doctors Shorthand Acronym) are used -
allegedly - in various parts of the world by certain doctors, GP's, consultants,
nurses and other healthcare staff on patients' notes or in verbal references. Of
course the use of most of these terms is not encouraged - they're here as
amusing and interesting examples of modern communications, language adaptation,
the use of dark humour to help deal with life's upsets, of customer service
attitudes, and particularly these acronyms serve to demonstrate the importance
of humour in stressful occupations. If you have examples of others please send
them.
For further descriptions
and contributors see the entries as they appear above in the fuller listing.
AOX3
Alert, Oriented times 3 (person, place,
time).
AEIOU DDD
Apoplexy, Epilepsy, Injury, Opium or other drugs, Uraemia, Dead
Drunk and Diabetes. (Healthcare mnemonic to aid memory of possible causes of
unconsciousness.)
AFOL
All Fine On Leaving.
AGA
Acute Gravity Attack. (Patient fell over)
AWOL
All Well On Leaving.
AWTF
Away With The Fairies.
BUNDY
But Unfortunately Not Dead Yet. (See also TF-BUNDY
in the listing above under the BUNDY
entry)
BVA
Breathing Valuable Air.
BWS
Beached Whale Syndrome.
CNA
Cleaning Nasty Arses. (alternative to usual meaning:
Certified Nurses Assistant)
CTD
Circling the Drain/Close To
Death.
DTS
Danger To Shipping.
DRT
Dead Right There.
DRTTTT
Dead Right There, There, There, and There.
ERCP
Endoscopic Retrograde
Cholangio-Pancreatoscopy. Alternatively, if a newly admitted patient dies
suddenly before they have been examined ('clerked') by the ward doctor, the
'admission' notes may be written up post-mortem (after they should have been, in
other words), in which case the acronym takes on a more mischievious
interpretation: Emergency Retrograde Clerking of Patient.
FAS
Fat And Stupid.
FLK
Funny Looking Kid.
FLKFLP
Funny Looking Kid, Funny Looking
Parents.
Fornicates Regularly And Chain
Smokes.
GAK
God Alone Knows.
GBC
General Body Crumble.
GOK
God Only Knows.
GOMER
Get Out of My
Emergency Room.
GROLIES
Guardian Reader Of Limited
Intelligence, Ethnic Skirt.
HIVI
Husband Is Village Idiot.
MAAH
Mad As A
Hatter.
NAD
Nothing Abnormal
Discovered/Detected. (NAD is alternatively often used when superiors ask for
the results of tests that no-one thought to order, in which case it means Not
Actually Done.....)
NFL
Normal For Londoners. (And variations
on the same theme, eg, NFN = Normal for Norfolk)
NKDA
No Known Drug
Allergies. Alternatively the abbreviation is used to mean Not Known,
Didn't Ask.
NOONG
Not One Of Nature's
Gentlemen.
NQR
Not Quite Right.
NYDN
Not Yet Diagnosed -
Nervous.
OAP
Over Anxious
Person.
PBP
Proctodynia By Proxy. (A pain in the
backside...)
PEARL
Pupils Equal And Reacting To
Light.
PERRLA
Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive to Light and Accommodate to
distance.
PISA
Permanent and
Irrecoverable State of Alcoholism.
SOB
Shortness Of
Breath.
STIO/SIO
SupraTentorial in Origin. (Imagined - supratentorial means
'above the neck'.)
TATT
Tired All The Time.
TEETH
Tried Everything Else?..Try Homeopathy.
TOBASH
Take Out Back And
SHoot.
UBI
Unexplained Beer
Injury.
UNIVAC
Unusually Nasty Infection; Vultures Are Circling.
Contributors of these acronyms are acknowledged in the detailed
entries in the main acronyms section. If you have examples of other healthcare
acronyms please send them. I no longer publish rude acronyms on this
page.
Acronyms from or related to the automotive sector - some
amusing, others more interesting from a social and cultural perspective. It's
interesting that nearly all are negative - cars for many people are an easy
target of envy, frustration and ironic humour. A few of these acronyms ('backronyms'
or 'bacronyms' more correctly) are potentially offensive on the basis of race
and or taste, so if you are easily offended don't read them. In addition to
providing some interesting examples of attitudes, humour and the adaptability of
language, these barbed interpretations also serve to show that cars can give
rise to strong feelings and bias. This is not an exhaustive list and attempts
only to include the more creative, interesting and amusing examples. No offence
is intended:
ASTON MARTIN
Another Strut To Overhaul Nightly - Many Apparent
Repairs To Internal Nubs (nubs are wheel bushes).
BENTLEY
Beautiful Engine, Needs To Last Endless
Years.
BMW
Break My Windows/Built by Migrant Workers/Big-up My
Willy/Bought Mainly by Wankers/Black Man's Wheels/Black Man's Willy/Bring Money
in Wheelbarrows/Blew My Wad/Built from Mercedes Wastebasket/Bersten Mal Wieder
(German: 'bust again')/Bei Mercedes Weggeworfen (German: 'made from the parts
Mercedes threw away')/Bayerischer MistWagen (German: Bavarian Manure
Wagon)/Bayerischer MistWerke (German: Bavarian Manure Works)/Bak Met Wielen
(Dutch: 'box with wheels')
BSA
Best Scrap Available.
CHEVROLET
Clatters Heavily, Every Valve Rattles, Oil Leaks Every
Time/Cheap Heap Every Valve Rattles Or Leaks Every Time/Can Hear Every Valve
Rattling On Long Extended Trips
DODGE
Damned Old Dirty Gas Eater/Dead On Day Guarantee
Expires/Dies On Day Guarantee Expires/Drips Oil, Drops Grease
Everywhere
FIAT
Found In A Tip/Failure In Automotive Technology/Fix It
Again Tony/Fix It Again Tomorrow/Futile (or Feeble) Italian Attempt at
Transportation/Fehler In Allen Teilen (German: 'faulty in all parts')/Fur
Italiener Achreichende Technologie (German: 'for Italians adequate
technology')/Fui Idiota Agora e Tarde (Portuguese: 'I've been stupid now it's
too late')
FORD
Found On Roadside,
Dead/Found On Rubbish Dump/Fix Or Repair Daily/Fast Only Rolling
Downhill/Fix Or Replace Daily/Flip Over, Read Directions/First On
Race Day/Full Of Rust and Decay/For Outstanding Reliability and
Dependability/Familjen Olssons Rullande Dass (Swedish: 'Family Olssen's Rolling
Toilet').
GM
Grinding
Metal/Generally Mediocre.
GMC
Garbage Made
Carefully/Garage Man's Companion/General Mess of Crap/Gotta
Mechanic Coming/Good Mexican Car/Garage Man's
Companion.
GTI
God The
Insurance.
HONDA
Hold On Not Done
Accelerating/Have One, Never Do it Again/Had One, Never Did
Again.
HUMMER
Huge Unnecessary
Massive Mobile, Emmissions Ridiculous.
JAGUAR
Just A Gauge Under Another Repair.
JEEP
Just Enough Essential Parts/Just Enough Engine
Power/Junk; Each and Every Part/Just Empty Every Pocket.
KIA
Killed In Action/Killed in Automobile.
LADA
Left At Dump Abandoned/Laissee Au Depotoir Abandonee
(French: Left At Dump Abandoned)/Langs Achter Duwen Alstublieft (Dutch: 'please
push from behind')
LOTUS
Loads Of Trouble, Usually Serious/Leaking
Oil To Under Side.
MAZDA
Made At Zoo by Demented Apes.
MOPAR
Mostly Old Parts And Rust/My Old Plymouth (or Pig) Ain't
Running/Motor On Pavement After Race/Massively Over-Powered, Always
Reliable/Many Old Parts Assembled Recklessly.
MG
Mostly Garaged/Money Gone/Mighty Good.
MGB GT
Musical Gear Box Grinds Teeth.
OLDSMOBILE
Old Ladies Driving Slowly Making Others Behind
Increasingly Late Everyday.
PINTO
Powerful Incendiary, Neatly Toasts
Occupants.
SUBARU
Still Usable But All Rusted Underneath.
TOYOTA
The One You Ought To Avoid/Too Often Yankees (or Yanks)
Overprice This Auto/Taking Our Yen Out Thanks America.
(Ack D Compton, AJ, S Clory, D Hawksworth, S
Skariah, T Day, S Cadd, S Rivera, J Hemmingway, T Cole, D Burton, C Purdom, G
Day, W Buckley, J Quirk, Ed P, J Fobian)
If you have other automotive or car acronyms please send
them. I no longer publish rude acronyms on this page.
As with the other
acronyms on this website this listing illustrates the amusing development of
coded langauge and communications and is not meant to cause offence, neither is
it to be seen as a comment on service levels or the qualities of the doubtless
fine organisations featured in the list, even though some no longer exist. A few
of these acronyms ('backronyms'
or 'bacronyms' more correctly) are potentially offensive so if you are easily
offended don't read them. This is not an exhaustive list and attempts only to
include the more creative, interesting or amusing examples. No offence is
intended:
AIR
INDIA
After I return I'll
Never Do It Again.
ALITALIA
Airplane Lands In Turin And Luggage In Ancona/Airplane Lands In
Tokyo And Luggage In Atlanta (etc, etc.)/Always Late In Take-off, Always Late In
Arrival/A Little Italian Tradition And Lotsa Italian
Attitude.
AWA
America's Worst Airline.
BOAC
Better Off On A
Camel/Better On Air Canada/Boeing Only Aircraft
Considered.
BWIA
But Will It
Arrive?/Better Walk If Able/Britain's Worst Investment
Abroad.
DELTA
Divert Everyone's
Luggage To Atlanta/Don't Expect Luggage To Arrive/Doesn't Ever Leave The
Airport/Didn't Expect To Land There Anyway.
Economy Airline Slows
Your Journey Every Time.
EL
AL
Every Landing Always
Late.
Government Airway
Ruined Under Dutch Administration.
KLM
Keeps Losing
Money.
LBIAC
Left Brains In Airport
Carpark. (Not an airline but an amusing acronym used by airport staff
referring to daft customers)
LIAT
Luggage In Another
Terminal.
LUFTHANSA
Let Us Find The
Hostess As No Steward Available/Let Us Free The Hostages And Not Shoot
Anyone.
PAL
Plane Always
Late.
Queers And Nancies
Trained As Stewards. (originally Queensland And Northern Territory Air
Service).
SAHSA
Stay At Home Stay
Alive.
SABENA
Such A Bad Experience,
Never Again.
SAS
Same As Sabena.
SOSA
Stay Off Stay
Alive.
SWISSAIR
Sexy Women In Swissair
Services Are Indeed Rare. Not true of course, but then none of this stuff
is..
TACA
Take A Chance
Airlines/Tres Accidentes Cada Ano (Spanish: Three Accidents Counted
Annually).
TAP
Take Another
Plane/Tamancos Aereos Portugueses (Portuguese: Portuguese Airborne Clogs).
TAP
Take Another
Plane.
TWA
Travel With
Anxiety/Thousands Wandering Aimlessly/Terrorists Welcome Aboard/The Worst
Airline/Try Walking Across/Teeny Weeny Airlines/Third World Airlines.
UTA
Unlikely To Arrive.
VASP
Vomite Aqui Seu Porco
(Portuguese: Throw Up Here You Pig - a reference to the VASP sick-bag
logo)/Varias Aeromocas Sao Putas (Portuguese: 'a number of the air stewardesses
are loose women') Again not true of course, like the rest of this
silliness..
WIA
Whenever It
Arrives.
(Ack M Duncan, M
Navaroli, JW, Chin, D Sidwell, D Rawsthorn, M Janes, E Davies, A Wilkinson, G
Sargent, T Clarke, L Martin)
If you have other notable airlines and aviation acronyms please send
them. I no longer publish rude acronyms on this page.
Due to the increasing interest, potential and learning
value (social, language, public image, staff attitudes, etc) contained in the
creation and use of amusing corporation 'backronyms' (or 'corporanyms' to coin a
daft new portmanteau
word), this section for the corporation backronym genre has been added. New
contributions and suggestions gratefully received. These meanings are not
true statements of fact. They are a bit of fun and no offence is intended. But
if the cap fits any particular CEO's out there... Please note that Airlines
and Automotive
acronyms ('backronyms' are listed separately).
Don't Expect Any Great
Employment Opportunities. Not true of course. This 'backronym' (or
'bacronym' - meaning an acronym that is constructed in reverse from a word,
rather using initials from a phrase or series of words) does however illustrate
the risks of corporate rebranding with a name that invites such creative and
mischievous interpretation. Diageo's previous name was Guinness & Grand
Metropolitan. The merger of the two organisations hastened the name-change,
along perhaps with the fact that the Guinness name had become associated with a
major fraud case in the late 1980's following its acquisition of United
Distillers in 1986. In any event Guinness & Grand Metropolitan would have
offered relatively little scope for constructing a sardonic 'backronym' than
Diageo. Incidentally Diageo is apparently Hindi for 'give and live for
ever'.
ENGLAND
Every New Guy Lasts About Ninety Days. Not the
country England - the US trucking company CR England, as explained by the
contributor: "...in the trucking industry in the United States there is a
company called CR England. (yes, on the web at CREngland.com). My father drove
for United Van Lines for many years and other large transport services before
that. The 'old hand' drivers had a bit of a joke on the England name (due to the
fact that an England truck invariably came up in stories about trucks in ditches
or nasty but stupid looking accidents involving stationary objects)...ergo...
Every New Guy Lasts About Ninety Days. (Ack S
Holden)
ETAM
Everything To Attract
Men. (Anyone know the true origin of the ETAM ladies fashion chain name? Let me
know.)
HARTL
Hardly At Running
Temperature Long. An acronym that's now become a term used generally by
certain UK service engineers to describe a machine with consistent problems,
break-downs, faults etc., ("Is it a Hartl..."). The origin is apparently from a
company called Hartl Crushtek, founded in Austria, which used to manufacture
rock crushing machines, typically used in quarries. The machines allegedly
developed a reputation for poor reliability, which led, allegedly, to the
development of the HARTL reverse acronym (backronym) by the company's service
engineers, (as well as the demise of the Hartl Crushtek UK operating
subsidiary). (Ack Mark Sandercock)
HOLDEN
Heaps Of Little Dirty
Engine Nuts. According to Australian 'backyard' car-maintenance tradition,
this acronym is a reference to the parts usually left over after repairing the
engine of a Holden car. Aussie 'backyard' mechanics apparently assert that if
the nuts are left over, then you didn't need them in the first place... (Ack J
Gullefer)
I'm in Blue Material. A 1970's
reference to the standard IBM executive's business suit), and I've Been to
Manchester (referring to the supposed reluctance of IBM's American
executives to travel into bandit country, i.e. more than three miles from
central London (ack B Cavalot). Alternatively and amusingly I've Been
Moved (ack P Larson). Less imaginatively, It's Better Manually, or
It's Been Malfunctioning, and the gratuitously offensive Spanish
Immensa Bola de Mierda (huge ball of pooh), which might of course have
nothing to do with IBM corporation at all. Additionally (ack S Pusey), It's
Being Mended, and Infernal Blooming Machine; neither of which
necessarily relate to IBM per se of course. Other non-IBM-corporate
interpretations are listed under IBM in the main
acronyms listing above.
You Always Have Other Options. Yahoo founders Yang and Filo maintain they only chose the YA (Yet
Another) part of the acronym, and then opted for the word Yahoo when it leapt
out of the dictionary at them. Other interpretations include: Yet Another
Hierarchical Officious Oracle. Also: Yet Another Helpful Operation
Origin and Yet Another Hypertext Online
Organiser.
If you have other 'corporanyms' that you'd like to share please send
them. I no longer publish rude acronyms on this page. Please note that Airlines
and Automotive
acronyms ('backronyms' are listed separately).
If you've found these
acronyms amusing and thought provoking, see also:
amusing and fascinating
origins
of words, expressions and cliches
word-play puzzles and
games for quizzes and exercises
amusing and
inspirational stories and analogies for training, public-speaking and
writing
the funny letters to Islington Council's Housing
Department
real funny insurance
claims
real funny Weakest Link answers
real funny Family Fortunes Answers
and the various free amusing, educational and inspirational resources on the main
businessballs website, if you are not already there
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