bikeshedding

Technical disputes over minor, marginal issues conducted while more serious ones are being overlooked. The implied image is of people arguing over what color to paint the bicycle shed while the house is not finished. (jargon file)

I'm not pointing fingers as I get sucked into those discussions just like everyone else, but the bikeshedding-to-action ratio is fabulously high.

by Eann September 18, 2006

bikeshedding

A point when a meeting or discussion ceases to focus on the primary topic at hand, to focus on more trivial concepts.

"So we're confident the use of a heavy water moderator will totally reduce void risk, especially when pumped horizontally through the core. Thoughts?"
"Uh yeah, are we gonna paint the bike shed purple?"
"I think blue is more harmonious."
"No, its should be yellow."
"FOR FUCKS SAKE GUYS STOP WITH THE LITERAL BIKESHEDDING!"

by Somebody, but not Nobody May 2, 2021

bike shedding

Another name for Parkinson's Law of Triviality. It's when an individual or group fixates on discussing trivial issues or ones way outside their area of expertise because the pressing issues they actually need to resolve are too hard for them to constructively engage with.

You know you're the victim of bike shedding when a colleague wants to call a meeting to discuss his face-palmingly idiotic suggestions for your project while deliberately ignoring critical problems of their own that they don't know how to fix or get started with.

Developer: The CEO wants to be involved in the website redesign
Marketing: And the COO too. Pure bike shedding.

by jetpants May 1, 2019