Guide 75 / 200 6 swaps Formal register
Professional words for “problem”
Six nouns that replace "problem" with specificity.
i · When it mattersTwo lines, no filler
"We have a problem" is a placeholder. Naming it is half the fix. Issue is neutral triage language; obstacle points at delivery; impediment belongs in governance.
ii · The swaps6 ways
- 01Issue neutral
general triage language
Two issues were flagged in the audit.
- 02Challenge neutral
hard but surmountable
The main challenge ahead is integration.
- 03Obstacle formal
something blocking delivery
A major obstacle to delivery remains.
- 04Concern neutral
worry worth raising
Raise the concern in the next review.
- 05Complication neutral
late-stage entanglement
A late-stage complication surfaced in QA.
- 06Impediment formal
formal register — blocking element
Remove any impediment to timely delivery.