Definitions by bucolicdictionary
busywork
Plausibly worthwhile, but ultimately low-value work. Given to you when your boss needs to keep you occupied in order to misdirect you to the fact you're being sidelined.
Boss A: "Why did you ask John to rename all the variables in our acme application?"
Boss B: "Because I've just asked his colleague Bob to give the big demo to the c-suite on Friday, and need to keep him occupied with busywork rather than bitter and jealous."
Boss B: "Because I've just asked his colleague Bob to give the big demo to the c-suite on Friday, and need to keep him occupied with busywork rather than bitter and jealous."
busywork by bucolicdictionary August 4, 2026
busywork
Plausibly worthwhile, but ultimately low-value work. Given to you when your boss needs to keep you occupied in order to misdirect you to the fact you're being side-lined.
Boss A: "Why did you ask John to rename all the variables in our acme application?"
Boss B: "Because I've just asked his colleague Bob to give the big demo to the c-suite on Friday, and need to keep him occupied with busywork rather than bitter and jealous."
Boss B: "Because I've just asked his colleague Bob to give the big demo to the c-suite on Friday, and need to keep him occupied with busywork rather than bitter and jealous."
busywork by bucolicdictionary August 4, 2026
hippo
Highest Paid Person's Opinion. Failing orgs usually have a HiPPO-wins culture. Often spotted in pre-digital\digital-denying companies with towering hierarchies. Bad decisions are made by managers who have never written a line of code in their lives and little knowledge versus the software engineers beneath them.
Software engineer: Why have we just spent a gazillion dollars on Oracle licences?
Software engineer2: Oh, a passing salesman pitched to our HiPPO head of department, and now he wants the DBAs to write our business logic in Stored Procedures
Software engineer2: Oh, a passing salesman pitched to our HiPPO head of department, and now he wants the DBAs to write our business logic in Stored Procedures
hippo by bucolicdictionary March 23, 2021