15 most misused buzzwords in IT

Every profession has its own collection of abbreviations, acronyms, catchphrases, and jargon that serve as shorthand for their techniques and tools. IT is no different.

Yet, unlike other disciplines, the language of IT tends to spill out across the enterprise and society itself. There are ads praising cloud computing and data-driven decision-making. People routinely praise their latest apps, compare user experiences, and chat about downloads and deployments. But honestly, when was the last time anyone (outside of finance) shared their thoughts on amortization or asset allocation?

Clearly, people like to talk tech.

But they don’t always get the terminology right. Or they co-opt phrases. Or overuse them. Often to the point where they’re confusing or irritating or have lost their true meaning. With that in mind, CIO.com polled a collection of tech leaders to get their ideas. Here are 15 of the most often misused buzzwords they’ve encountered in IT.

1. Digital transformation

Intermountain Healthcare