Coordination Vocabulary

Why a Shared Vocabulary Matters

Coordination breaks down when two teams use the same word for different things. The glossary below defines the terms used throughout this manual so that every discipline reads the same meaning.

Glossary

• Shared decision — a decision that no single discipline can finalize alone because it depends on another discipline's scope.
• Primary owner — the discipline accountable for the answer to a shared decision.
• Affected reviewer — a discipline that must confirm the answer does not break its scope.
• Physical interface — a geometric point where two disciplines share space (clearance, support, opening, access).
• Information interface — a data point shared between teams (naming, level, room use, revision status).
• Issue — an open question that needs a decision, an action, or a confirmation before it can be closed.
• Issue ownership — the set of roles (reviewer, decision owner, action owner, affected party, final approver) assigned to an issue.
• Revision impact — the set of downstream elements affected by a single change in the model.
• Coordination handoff — the written summary that lets the next team continue without a repeat discussion.
• Final approver — the person who signs off that an issue is closed for all disciplines.
• Open item — a question that cannot be answered in the current review cycle and is carried forward.

Using the Vocabulary

When a term in this glossary appears in a coordination log, meeting note, or model comment, use it with the meaning above. If a team needs a local term, define it separately so it does not collide with the shared vocabulary.