Theo Andersson · 2025-12-11
Tag dictionaries that operations teams actually adopt
governance · azure
Tag sprawl begins when every team invents its own vocabulary. We start with a single-page dictionary: key, meaning, example value, and owning role.
We tie adoption to merge requests. If a template lacks required tags, automation nudges but humans still approve exceptions with a sentence of rationale.
Reviews happen quarterly and reuse the same agenda: retire unused keys, celebrate consistent pairs, and adjust examples when services rename.
The goal is not perfection; it is legibility under stress.