Glossary

In my opinion, a project glossary is the most underrated project artifact in the entire development process. The glossary can be a document or a database. It is simply a collection of terms and definitions that the team can reference while creating and using the system's requirements. The glossary can start as an appendix to the vision, but as the project gains momentum, the glossary is most useful as a versioned document or database. This document is the authoritative source for all terms and definitions.

A good project glossary helps new team members come up to speed quickly. It can be used to help communicate subtle meanings across team boundaries. In general, this artifact is a resource for every member of the project. The cost of maintaining a project glossary is small compared to its benefits.

It may seem at first that everyone on the small team that begins the project has the same understanding of the major terms and definitions used in the project, albeit with slightly varying views of the details. When a vision document is created and distributed, it is also time to start the glossary. Appendix E is a functional glossary system that could be used; however, the ideal glossary repository is best when it is part of the larger requirements management system.