Parkinson’s Law of Triviality is the observation that organizations often give disproportionate weight to trivial issues. This means that less important matters tend to consume more time and energy than critical ones.
It’s often humorously illustrated by the “bike shed effect,” where a committee tasked with designing a nuclear power plant spends most of its time debating the color of the bike shed.
- Focus on trivial matters: Organizations can become preoccupied with minor details while neglecting core issues.
- Inefficient decision-making: Excessive time spent on unimportant matters can hinder progress.
- Demotivation: Employees can become frustrated with a focus on trivial tasks.
Understanding this law can help organizations prioritize tasks and allocate resources more effectively.
Bike-Shedding