Tony Collins's IT Projects Blog

When staff at Original Software use a cliché or jargon on the list below they pay a 20p fine to charity. It's a good idea, and charities would benefit if lots of other companies did the same.

The fine began before the Local Government Association published a list of banned words and phrases last week.

Original Software's list includes words and phrases which are indispensable shorthand to some in the IT industry.  I think they're ugly. Though once some might have been expressive they're now over-used and so mean little or nothing.

The Local Government Association is asking its staff to pay fines if they use words or phrases on a banned list.

The Association joins Original Software, which let me know earlier this week that it had introduced a fine on staff for using clichés and jargon, either verbally or in writing.

Original Software is collecting the fines for charity, as is the Local Government Association.

The Association and Original Software are urging other companies to fine their staff for offences against plain English, for the benefit of charities.

Please let me know if your company is introducing a fine on jargon and cliches. tony.collins@rbi.coluk

A fuller version of this story is on ComputerWeekly.com