Law of Triviality

The Law of Triviality, also known as Parkinson's Law of Triviality, describes a phenomenon where people give disproportionate weight and time to trivial issues while neglecting more complex and critical matters. This cognitive bias leads to decision-makers focusing on simple tasks that are easy to understand and discuss, rather than tackling the more significant issues that require deeper analysis.

How it works

In a decision-making process, individuals and groups may face both complicated and straightforward issues. The Law of Triviality proposes that people tend to spend more time and energy on matters that are simple to grasp and discuss, often those that have little impact, because these issues are less intimidating and provide a sense of quick accomplishment. In contrast, more complex issues that may require more expertise, effort, and potential conflict might be side-stepped or given minimal attention.

Examples

A classic example is a committee spending hours discussing the color to paint a bicycle shed while glossing over the substantial details of an expansive power plant project. Similarly, in business meetings, discussions might focus extensively on minor details such as the choice of fonts in a presentation while major strategic decisions receive less attention.

Consequences

This cognitive bias can lead to inefficiency in organizational decision-making, resource misallocation, and poor prioritization, as energy is wasted on inconsequential details at the expense of critical issues that might shape the future of projects or organizations.

Counteracting

To counteract the Law of Triviality, organizations can set clear priorities, emphasize the importance of big-picture thinking, and provide training in critical thinking and decision-making. Encouraging structured agendas that allocate appropriate time to complex issues and limiting discussions on trivial matters can also mitigate this bias.

Critiques

Critics argue that while the Law of Triviality offers insights into decision-making inefficiencies, the binary distinction between 'trivial' and 'important' issues is not always clear-cut. Certain simple tasks might hold symbolic importance or contribute indirectly to organizational culture and morale, and thus their discussion should not be uniformly dismissed as trivial.

Fields of Impact

Also known as

Relevant Research

• Irrationality: The enemy within

  Sutherland, N. (1981)

• Parkinson's Law: The Pursuit of Progress

  Parkinson, C. Northcote. (1957)