Charette

/ʃɑːˈrɛt/ noun

Definition

An intensive, collaborative work session where a team of professionals rapidly develops ideas or solutions for a design or project problem.

Etymology

From French 'charette,' literally meaning a cart. French architecture students coined the term in the 1800s when professors would ride through schools in carts while students frantically worked on projects—thus 'charette' became synonymous with last-minute work sessions.

Kelly Says

This is a brilliantly quirky etymology: the word literally refers to the cart that carried away student work! Architects and designers today use 'charette' without knowing it originated from this image of professors in moving carts collecting half-finished projects.

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