customer

The party responsible for accepting the product or for authorizing payment.

The customer is external to the project or work group (except possibly in certain project structures in which the customer effectively is on the project team or in the work group) but not necessarily external to the organization. The customer can be a higher level project or work group. Customers are a subset of stakeholders. (See also “stakeholder.”)

In most cases where this term is used, the preceding definition is intended; however, in some contexts, the term “customer” is intended to include other relevant stakeholders. (See also “customer requirement.”)

End users can be distinguished from customers if the parties that directly receive the value of products and services are not the same as the parties that arrange for, pay for, or negotiate agreements. In contexts where customers and end users are essentially the same parties, the term “customer” can encompass both types. (See also “end user.”)