Glossary

One-paragraph definitions with links to the related guides.

Checklist: A checklist is a short list of items that can be ticked off one by one to confirm that no step of a task was skipped. Unlike a procedure it does not teach the task; it only verifies that it was completed.
Data minimisation: Data minimisation is the principle that personal data must be adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purpose of processing. The GDPR sets it out in Article 5(1)(c); under KVKK the matching principle is processing that is related, limited and proportionate to the purpose.
Document control: Document control is the arrangement that makes sure documents are approved before use, that their versions are identified, that they are available where needed and that obsolete versions are not used by mistake. It is a core requirement of quality management systems.
Documented information: Documented information is the term ISO 9001:2015 uses in place of “documents” and “records”; it means the information an organization must control and maintain for its quality management system, and the medium that carries it. The extent depends on the organization’s size and processes.
GDPR: The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2016/679) is the European Union law that sets the rules for processing personal data, the rights of data subjects and the duties of controllers and processors. Turkey’s counterpart is Law No. 6698, known as KVKK.
Handover document: A handover document is the written package left with a client or a receiving team at the end of a project so they can use and manage the system. It contains scope, roles, daily and admin tasks, known limits, the support route and an acceptance record.
Help desk: A help desk is the single point of contact where users report technical problems and requests, which are logged and resolved. IT help desks handle password resets, access, device and software requests.
Key-person dependency: Key-person dependency is the risk that the knowledge of how a task is done sits with only one or a few people, so the work stops when they are absent. Written process documents and guides reduce this risk.
Knowledge base: A knowledge base is a central, searchable collection where an organization or product gathers answers to frequent questions, resolution steps and process guides. It can be internal, for employees, or external, for customers.
Onboarding: Onboarding is the process in which a new employee is introduced to the organization, the team, the tools and the role, before they start and during their first months. It consists of account and access setup, HR tasks, role training and feedback conversations.
Personal data: Personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. A name, an email address, a phone number, an ID number, an IBAN or an IP address are personal data when they identify a person on their own or in combination.
Process documentation: Process documentation is the written record of who does a task, in what order, with which tools and with which result. It covers documents such as a process map, a responsibility table, procedures, work instructions and checklists together.
Process map: A process map is a visual flow diagram that shows the steps of a process, its decision points and who takes over when. It makes responsibilities visible when more than one person or team is involved.
RACI matrix: A RACI matrix is a table that shows, for each task in a process, who is Responsible, who is Accountable, who is Consulted and who is Informed. It makes clear who does the work and who answers for it.
Redaction: Redaction is covering sensitive information in an image or document so that it cannot be recovered. Safe redaction permanently replaces the affected pixels with a solid fill or a coarse mosaic; a shape drawn on top is not redaction.
SOP (standard operating procedure): An SOP (standard operating procedure) is a numbered, step-by-step document that makes a repeatable task get done the same way every time. Its purpose is to give consistent results regardless of who performs the task.
User manual: A user manual is a document that explains to a user, step by step, how to use a product or system. For software it is usually written with screenshots and numbered steps.
Work instruction: A work instruction is a short document that explains one step or one short task in enough detail for the person doing the work to keep it open beside them. An SOP describes the process; a work instruction shows how a single step inside it is done.

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