When Words Break Systems: The Cost of Undefined Terms

Ambiguous language is an invisible tax between business and IT. In this episode Mirko Peters explains how poorly defined terms and working assumptions create recurring bugs, fragmented data, failed integrations, and governance fights long after a project ships. You’ll hear why business teams tolerate fuzzy definitions to move fast, and why engineers embed assumptions into code and data models that become expensive constraints. Through a practical, consultant’s lens Mirko walks through lightweight yet enforceable practices: a living business glossary, prioritized term contracts, clear ownership, change‑control for definitions, and how to surface disagreement early in discovery. Expect concrete examples of common mismatches, the downstream operational cost, and simple rituals that let organizations align language without bureaucratic overhead. This episode is for leaders, architects, product managers, and consultants who want fewer reworks, clearer analytics, and systems that reflect actual decisions rather than hidden assumptions.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/business-it-it-business--6867401/support.To continue the conversation, follow Mirko Peters on LinkedIn, where more insights and real-world examples are shared from both business and IT perspectives.