# Key concepts

> Core terminology used throughout the Cartographer documentation, including business processes, business tasks, AS-IS/TO-BE, PDD, and SDD.

This page defines the core terms used throughout the Cartographer documentation. Each concept links to the page where you can learn more.

## Core concepts

The following table defines the core terms used throughout this guide.

| Term | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Business process** | A cross-functional process — multiple people, systems, hand-offs — documented across a multi-session AS-IS → TO-BE interview, producing a PDD and, once approved, an SDD. See [Business process versus business task](your-first-cartographer-tasks.md#business-process-versus-business-task) in Your first Cartographer tasks. |
| **Business task** | A lighter-weight alternative to a business process: one linear, single-owner task captured in a single session as a 5-section Task Design Document (TDD). See [Business process versus business task](your-first-cartographer-tasks.md#business-process-versus-business-task) in Your first Cartographer tasks. |
| **AS-IS (Current Process)** | The confirmed current-state process map, built during the Discovery and Define as-is stages. See [AS-IS documentation](as-is-documentation.md). |
| **TO-BE (Future Design)** | The confirmed future-state process map, built during the Design to-be stage once an automation mode is assigned to each step. See [TO-BE design and PDD generation](to-be-design-and-pdd-generation.md). |
| **Automation mode** | How a step is handled after automation — Fully Automated, Assisted, Agent, Human Review, or Manual. See [Assigning automation modes](to-be-design-and-pdd-generation.md#assigning-automation-modes). |
| **PDD (Process Design Document)** | The downloadable document combining the confirmed AS-IS and TO-BE states, generated during Architect process. See [Generating the PDD](to-be-design-and-pdd-generation.md#generating-the-pdd). |
| **SDD (Solution Design Document)** | The build-ready specification generated from an approved PDD, for developers and coding agents. See [Generating an SDD](generating-an-sdd.md). |
| **Delegating a task** | Requesting input from a teammate with Delegate access, and reviewing their reply before accepting it into the business process. See [Delegating a task](delegating-a-task.md). |