No. #140

Law of Triviality
- Focusing on the Inconsequential

Also known as 'bikeshedding,' the law of triviality describes the tendency to give disproportionate weight to trivial issues, often while significant ones are ignored. This can lead to inefficiencies in meetings, project management, and prioritization in product development.

Read more on Wikipedia

Product example

A team might spend excessive time debating minor UI changes while overlooking critical security improvements.

Empathy tips

1

Prioritize Decision-Making

Implement structured decision-making processes that prioritize issues based on their impact.

2

Time Limits on Discussions

Set time limits for discussions on trivial issues to ensure focus remains on more significant matters.

3

Educate on Prioritization

Educate teams on effective prioritization techniques to minimize trivial debates.

4

Review and Feedback Loops

Use review and feedback loops to ensure that attention is appropriately distributed across issues.

Need an empathic partner?

Anna Lundqvist portrait
Anna Lundqvist
UX & AI ethics expert driving better products and smarter teams.
Eddy Salzmann portrait
Eddy Salzmann
Design lead crafting seamless products and mentoring design teams.
Ola Möller portrait
Ola Möller
Facilitator helping organisations see the big picture and take action.