for managers in the built environment
ADVISORY ARTICLE
By Tom Taylor
London, UK
Introduction
These notes look at jargon for managers in the built environment, plus aspects of sector language, management speak and related techy vocabulary and current themes. The managers may be on the receiving end, or on the providing end, or as an observer, or all three, and across the same day, or even during the same event.
These notes may be of interest to others in built environment – possibly, and to managers and others in other industries, locations and team combinations – possibly.
So, what is it?
“Jargon (noun) – special words or expressions used by individuals or a group – which may be difficult for others to understand. This can include buzzwords.”
Jargon in Context
Jargon should be useful – to provide quick, precise, clear communication conventions and understandings – in written, spoken and illustrative media – within and across teams. That is as long as it does not disadvantage, confuse or alienate participants. In that case at the unfortunate end, jargon may be accused of being gibberish or gobbledygook or worse.
Jargon is inevitable, so it relies on managers and leaders to ensure it is effective and efficient. They should be jargon-busters to facilitate the positive and counteract the negative. The negative can include possible embarrassment, alienation and disengagement with loss of participation, productivity and commitment. The positives can include precision, common understanding and team bonding.
Overuse of jargon can be because of laziness, wishing to demonstrate expertise or other ways of showing off, or simply because of conventions in a community or from the top leaders.
The built environment sector is a very large and diverse collection of industries and businesses – each with its own jargon covering elements, trades, suppliers, legalese, etc.
The built environment is also a service industry in capital works activity and in operational in BAU / FM terms (Sorry! That’s jargon! Business As Usual / Facilities Management) so needs to recognise and accommodate the jargon of its customers, clients, stakeholders, regulators, media, general public, etc. So, it is important to recognise, adopt or explain jargon so it can be understood and appreciated by all those involved.
The client occupiers were a prestigious firm of solicitors. As part of the briefing, they frequently mentioned the importance of the “Fionas”. It was thought that this was a set of initials which would become clearer in due course. It did, these were the “fee-earners”. That did not stop them being known as the Fiona’s for the rest of the project duration.
Jargon Maturity
Jargon effectiveness on projects can be influenced by subsector maturity and the familiarity of the participants. So those who are generally experienced in aspects of built environment will be knowledgeable and comfortable with the jargon. While those who are in education or new to or outside of the subsector may be less knowledgeable and confident.
In fact, the maturity of a project team can be assessed by observing its comfort in the use of jargon, and how the participants deal with potential jargon misunderstandings and alienation issues as they may arise or even be anticipated.
An education project had three grades of duration for fitouts and setups: Basic for simple spaces with furniture in max one week (Blue Rooms), Medium with IT and AV installations of max two weeks (Yellow Rooms), and Complex as laboratories in up to six weeks (Red Spaces). Initially these areas and colours were marked on a single drawing in the management office and used knowingly by those who had been briefed on the drawing. When the drawing was copied and posted on each floor for all to see the jargon became much useful and clearer to all. Tell everyone who needs to know.
More…
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How to cite this article: Taylor, T. (2025). Dealing with Jargon – for managers in the built environment, PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue XII, December. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/pmwj159-Dec2025-Taylor-dealing-with-jargon.pdf
About the Author
Tom Taylor
London, UK
Tom Taylor is Principal with Dashdot and joint founding director of Buro Four in the United Kingdom. For many years, he has been a central figure in the Association for Project Management (APM) in the UK as former APM president, vice-president, Chair and London Branch. Via APM he has achieved Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), Registered Project Professional (RPP), an Honorary Fellowship, the inaugural President’s Medal from Professor Martin Barnes and APM’s prestigious Sir Monty Finneston Award for lifetime achievement. Visit www.apm.org.uk
Tom is known as:
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- A popular, confident and energetic speaker and broadcaster;
- A prolific author and publisher on innovative business and original management issues;
- An experienced and enthusiastic lecturer and course leader;
- And an award-winning, highly experienced manager of projects, advisor and consultant.
Tom’s professional career so far has been in property and construction in UK in front line roles – from theatres to manufacturing, from residential to harbour works – significant to less so – with contractors, designers and as a consultant – as employer, employee and entrepreneur – within major organisations and “all-on-my-own” – prize winning and mundane. It’s been rewarding and enjoyable – so far.
He is an advisor on projects, programmes, enterprises and business, as principal at Dashdot – a consultancy and publishing vehicle – please go to www.dashdot.co.uk
He is a joint founder from 1985 and occasional advisor with Buro Four – an eminent project management outfit based in UK – please go to www.burofour.com
Tom has been a guest lecturer at several universities, a previous Visiting Professor at Salford University and an external examiner at UCL.
Tom is a supporter of Membership Associations (MAs) of International Project Management Association (IPMA), Young Crews – and their events. Visit www.ipma.org
Tom attends, speaks and hosts PM events in UK and round the world. He holds honorary positions with project management associations in Finland, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Portugal, Spain and UK plus with IPMA.
“Continuing to be involved in front line projects and the journey of the project management community, over the last fifty years or so, has certainly been fascinating, rewarding and enjoyable – as a bystander, passenger, navigator and driver. Changing technologies and surprising opportunities have had significant impact for me, and on me. However, it is people, the colleagues, who are most important – with our collective commitment, common purpose and good humour. I have been very fortunate indeed in that aspect. Approaching my likely career midpoint, I am looking forward to more good projects, with good people, with good humour.”
A current personal profile of Tom is available at www.tomtaylor.info and he may be contacted at tomtaylor@dashdot.co.uk
