Decoding your first month

Normal ongoing operations, as distinct from project, crisis, pilot or transformation work.

Also heard as: business-as-usual, steady state operations

To retain a matter for monitoring or later consideration without taking immediate action.

Also heard as: keep in view, KIV first

Context: KIV should not be used as a substitute for an owner, review date or explicit decision where follow-up is required.

An email or routing label indicating that the recipient is expected to take follow-up action.

Also heard as: for action, for your necessary action

Context: The required action and deadline should still be stated explicitly.

To discuss an emerging proposal informally with relevant stakeholders so concerns can be understood and surprises reduced before formal staffing.

Also heard as: socialise the idea, socialize

A working norm that material issues, risks or disagreements should be surfaced early rather than first appearing at a formal forum.

Also heard as: no-surprises principle

To pass information, direction or key messages from senior levels through managers to the wider organisation.

Also heard as: cascade down, cascade the message

To finish the required action and ensure the relevant people know the result, rather than leaving the matter unresolved.

Also heard as: close loop, loop closure

The practices used to create, organise, retain, share and apply organisational knowledge so work can continue beyond individual officers.

Also heard as: knowledge management

To finalise a position, obtain the necessary agreement, or successfully bring a proposal through the required process.

Also heard as: land the proposal, land the point, land the decision

Context: Informal usage varies; in some contexts it simply means communicating a point effectively.

A status indicating that no additional follow-up is required unless circumstances change.

Also heard as: no further actions

The function that manages public feedback and service-quality matters through channels such as phone, email and written correspondence.

Also heard as: Quality Service Manager, quality service

Context: QSM may refer either to the function or the officer performing the role.

A review used to assess where a programme or workstream stands, what has changed, and what decisions or interventions are needed.

Also heard as: stock-take, progress stocktake

To bring an issue, risk, recommendation or decision point to a superior, stakeholder or forum.

Also heard as: surfaced, surfacing, surface the issue

To move a detailed, unresolved or tangential discussion to a separate conversation so the current meeting can proceed.

Also heard as: discuss offline, offline this

An idea raised informally with relevant principals or stakeholders to test reactions before it is committed to a formal submission, announcement or forum.

Also heard as: Float a balloon, floating a balloon, float the idea, sound out

Discussion or resolution among the officers doing the detailed work, usually before escalation to principals or a formal forum.

Also heard as: working level, at working level

A defined body of related tasks or outcomes within a programme, transformation or cross-agency initiative.

Also heard as: work stream