Between the ever-accelerating pace of modern business, the popularity of social media, the rise of collaboration platforms, and our undeniable love of shortcuts, abbreviations and acronyms have never been so popular. Or, some might say, so annoying.
There are so many of them floating around, it can be very easy to get confused or downright lost in the Alphabet Sea. Here are some we thought we’d add clarity to, complete with handy definitions and a few usage examples. YWIA (You’re Welcome in Advance).
// In Real Life
Face-to-face interactions in the physical world, as opposed to those in the virtual realm.
“We finally went back to IRL events and I had to go shopping because all I had to wear was sweatpants with elastic waistbands.”
// Call To Action
Something you ask people to do after you tell them something about something.
“Jeff got down on one knee, opened the box, and uttered a CTA Irene would never forget.”
// Non-Disclosure Agreement
A document you sign to promise someone you’ll keep your mouth shut about their secrets.
“After Irene said Yes, she asked Jeff to sign an NDA, which he found off-putting.”
// Infrastructure as a Service
Cloud computing for those who have no cloud and no computing resources to speak of.
“Before Tom started his IT career, he had an IKEA furniture assembly business called IaaS, Inc.
// Subject Matter Expert
A person who thinks they’re better than everyone else because of the large amount they know about one, tiny, specific, obscure thing.
“Charlie doesn’t get invited to many parties because he thinks he’s a SME in absolutely everything, including parties.”
// User Interface
The means by which a human and a computer interact.
“After his computer failed to accept his password for the hundredth time, Ted used a nearby hammer as his new UI and solved the problem for good.”
// Unique Visitor
A person who has visited just once in a given time period.
“Geraldine discovered on Day 5 of his visit that her uncle had been using her toothbrush the whole time, making him the most unique UV she had ever had and unwelcome in her home ever again.”
// Year To Date
From the first day of the fiscal year to the present date.
“Jeff,” Irene ventured, “That’s the third time YTD you’ve refused to sign an NDA so the wedding is off.”
