Glossary
Add domain terms to project glossaries in the Obsidian vault.
When to Use
- •New domain term encountered during planning
- •Jargon needs clarification for the team
- •Documenting ubiquitous language for a bounded context
- •User mentions unfamiliar terminology
Vault Location
Glossaries live in project folders:
~/Documents/Notes/Projects/<YYYY[-MM] Project>/Glossary.md
Workflow
1. Find Project Glossary
bash
# Find glossary file for a project fd -t f -i "Glossary" ~/Documents/Notes/Projects/*<project>*/
2. Check for Existing Term
bash
# Search for term in glossary rg -i "<term>" ~/Documents/Notes/Projects/*<project>*/Glossary.md
3. Add Term
If term doesn't exist, add using the format below.
Glossary Entry Format
markdown
## Term Name **Definition:** Clear, concise definition in plain language. **Context:** Where/how this term is used in the project. **Also known as:** Alternative names, abbreviations, or synonyms. **Related:** [[Link to related terms or concepts]] **Example:** Concrete example of the term in use.
Minimal Entry
For simple terms:
markdown
## Term Name **Definition:** Clear, concise definition.
Examples
Domain Term
markdown
## Roster **Definition:** A scheduled assignment of workers to shifts over a defined period. **Context:** Core concept in workforce management. A roster contains shift assignments for multiple workers across days/weeks. **Also known as:** Schedule, rota, shift pattern **Related:** [[Shift]], [[Worker]], [[Duty]] **Example:** "The ward roster for January shows all nursing staff assignments."
Technical Term
markdown
## Idempotent **Definition:** An operation that produces the same result whether executed once or multiple times. **Context:** Important for API design and message handling. Retry-safe operations must be idempotent. **Example:** HTTP PUT is idempotent (same resource state after multiple calls), POST is not.
Abbreviation
markdown
## MWL **Definition:** Minimal Workforce Levels — the minimum staffing requirements for a shift or department. **Context:** Used in Allocate/Optima systems to define required coverage. **Related:** [[Shift]], [[Establishment]]
Guidelines
- •Plain language — Avoid defining jargon with more jargon
- •Project context — Explain how the term is used in this project
- •Link generously — Connect to related terms and concepts
- •Examples help — Concrete examples clarify abstract definitions
- •Keep current — Update definitions as understanding evolves
Integration with Planning
During the PLAN phase of XP workflow:
- •Note unfamiliar terms from requirements discussion
- •Ask user for definitions if unclear
- •Add terms to glossary before proceeding
- •Reference glossary terms in task descriptions