No. 136 · Work · Game Theory
Bikeshedding
Groups spend the most time on what everyone understands, and the least on what matters.
In the Almanac
“Parkinson’s committee”, 1957 · “Gap”, 2010
Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.
Get the AlmanacQuestions
What is Bikeshedding?
Bikeshedding is the habit of debating small, easy-to-grasp details at length while complex, important decisions slip through. Parkinson's committee approved a reactor in minutes but argued for ages about a bike shed.
How do you use Bikeshedding?
Match your attention to the stakes. Put time limits on low-stakes items, delegate small choices, and schedule the hard questions deliberately, even when they feel uncomfortable or unclear.
When does Bikeshedding matter?
Bikeshedding is one of the 43 mental models for work, the situations where you ask: How do I get the right things done? Within that, it belongs to “Focus and priorities”, alongside Law of Diminishing Returns, Leverage and Manager’s Schedule vs Maker’s Schedule.
What is an example of Bikeshedding?
Two stories show it at work: Parkinson’s committee (1957) and Gap (2010). Both are told in full in The Mental Models Daily Almanac, which has two stories for each of its 365 models.
Which mental models are related to Bikeshedding?
Pareto Principle, Groupthink and Sayre’s Law. Bikeshedding itself comes from game theory.