Have you ever tried to play it cool in a meeting when you’re not quite sure what people are talking about? You wonder if you missed some class on engineering terms and abbreviations! We’ve all been there, and sometimes you just don’t encounter certain words until you’re on the job. Last year, our employees started a list of words commonly used in the field that they didn’t quite understand at first. We’re sharing Part II here, hoping to help you out next time someone tells you to check the Trix and you go looking for a cereal bowl.
SUP What it isn’t: Stand up paddleboard; greeting for your bros What it is: Special use permit for properties; needed for some uses in certain zoning districts
Frog What it isn’t: Kermit What it is: A recess or indent that is pressed, molded, or cut into the face of a brick during manufacturing
Gig What it isn’t: A new job; your band’s next show What it is: 1 gigabyte per second internet service over fiber
Parcel What it isn’t: A package from UPS What it is: A defined section of land on GPS databases
COW What it isn’t: Black and white and moos What it is: A telecom term for a cell on wheels
GOAT What it isn’t: Eats anything and everything What it is: A generator on a trailer
Horse Head What it isn’t: The front end of a horse What it is: A telecom term for a mount for the ice bridge at the top of a fence post
Easement What it isn’t: Feeling totally at peace What it is: A right to cross or use someone else’s land for a specific purpose (ex: Water company has an easement to run pipes under your property)
Trix What it isn’t: Colorful kids’ cereal What it is: Tracker (spreadsheet for monitoring progress)
SD What it isn’t: San Diego What it is: Schematic Design
GAB What it isn’t: Talking someone’s ear off What it is: Graded Aggregate Base (typically a type of stone used under paving)
DD What it isn’t: A non-drinking driver What it is: Due diligence or design development
Hut What it isn’t: Grass-roofed structure on an island What it is: A structure along a backbone fiber path where node electronics are housed
So we hope you feel a little more prepared for your next meeting. And if you get stuck on a term again, there’s no shame in looking it up and laughing about it later!
About Foresite Group
Foresite Group is a multidisciplinary engineering, planning, and consulting firm providing services to public and private sector clients nationwide. Our team’s collaborative process results in creative products and services that help our clients achieve their goals. Our team takes pride in enhancing and developing the cities and communities where we live, work, and raise our families.