Our intrepid correspondent from Humorland, Joe Kaulfersch of Pepperl+Fuchs sends us this gem:
Hi Walt,
The next time you play meeting bingo listen for these terms. You may chuckle when you know what's behind the phrase.
Dictionary of Project Terms
Project slightly behind original schedule due to unforeseen difficulties-- We got so sick of working on this that we decided to do something else.
Major Technological Breakthrough--Back to the drawing board.
Developed after years of intensive research--It was discovered by accident.
Customer satisfaction is believed assured--We are so far behind schedule that the customer will be happy to get anything at all from us.
The design will be finalized in the next reporting period--We haven't started this job yet, but we've got to say something.
Test results were extremely gratifying--It works, and are we surprised.
Extensive effort is being applied on a fresh approach to the problem--We just hired three new guys; we'll let them kick it around for a while.
Preliminary operational tests are inconclusive--The darn thing blew up when we threw the switch.
The entire concept will have to be abandoned--The only guy who understood the thing quit.
Modifications are under way to correct certain minor difficulties--We threw the whole thing out and are starting from scratch.