What Does “Ready” Mean Here?

One of the most useful questions in a project meeting can sound annoyingly basic: "What do we mean by ready?"

For one person, it means the build is complete. For another, it means the customer has been told what is changing. Someone else is thinking about whether support can handle the first problem that comes in. All three can say "we're ready" and believe it.

The problem shows up later, when work moves forward on an agreement that was never quite there. Then the missed step looks like a handoff failure or a lack of ownership. Sometimes it started with a word nobody stopped to define.

I don't think every meeting needs a glossary. But when a word is carrying a decision, it's worth asking what has to be true before the team moves ahead. What is finished? Who knows? Who makes the call if something changes?

That question may slow the meeting down for a minute. It's usually cheaper than finding out afterward that everyone agreed to a different plan.