operational

Operational is an adjective derived from operation, meaning related to the functioning or execution of a system, process, or organization. It describes the state of being active and usable, as opposed to being planned, under development, or offline. In everyday use, operational effectiveness concerns how well a facility or service performs its intended purpose.

In business and manufacturing, operational aspects cover day-to-day activities that enable production and service delivery. Operational efficiency measures how well resources are converted into outputs, while operational costs refer to ongoing expenses required for running activities rather than one-time investments. In logistics, operations planning and scheduling coordinate inputs, workflows, and timing to sustain supply chains.

In the military, the term often denotes the execution level between strategic planning and tactical action. An operation is a coordinated set of actions, and something described as operational relates to its planning, conduct, or results in active theaters or field environments.

In research and social sciences, an operational definition specifies how a conceptual variable will be observed and measured, enabling empirical testing. Operationalization is the process of translating abstract concepts into measurable indicators.

In information technology and systems management, operational status indicates that a system or service is functioning and available; downtime implies non-operational periods. Operational risk refers to potential losses arising from people, processes, or internal systems failing. The term is also used in business continuity and resilience to describe the capacity to maintain essential functions under adverse conditions.