ops

Running the show

Ops is short for operations—the practical work of running something.

In business, ops covers logistics, processes, and day-to-day functions: She works in ops, dev ops.

In gaming and military contexts, ops means missions or tactical activities: black ops, spec ops.

The word appears in countless compounds: ad ops, sales ops, media ops.

operations

planning

Arranging for future events

logisticsCoordination of complex activities
coordinationOrganized cooperative movement
executionCompleting a planned task

deployment · management · workflow · automation · infrastructure · scaling · optimization · efficiency · processes · procedures

surgery

scalpel

Precise surgical knife

anesthesiaInduced loss of feeling
incisionControlled cut into tissue
sutureMedical wound closure

recovery · sterile · theater · dissection · clamps · gauze · hemostasis · stitches · postoperative · preoperative

Categories

military slangFUBAR, hoorah, devil dog, SNAFU, GI
chat roomschat rooms, chatrooms, channels, IRC, lobby
London slanginnit, bruv, fam, roadman, bare
IRCIRC, channels, nick, join, part
militarysoldiers, army, troops, officers, navy
spaceflightlaunch, astronaut, spacecraft, liftoff, orbit

Opposites

execution vs planning

Planned approach to goals

planning · design · conception · ideation · vision

tactical vs strategic

Planned approach to goals

strategic planning · long-range planning · big picture · corporate strategy · leadership

operational vs theoretical

Explanatory set of principles

R&D · research · pure research · academic study · abstraction

Phrases

black opsUnacknowledged covert activities
photo opsStaged publicity pictures
special opsElite covert military forces
covert opsSecret military missions
food co-opsMember-owned grocery retailers
night opsMilitary actions after dark

Family

operations, opus, operators, operatives, op, opuses

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G