The Law of Triviality: Why We Focus on the Wrong Things

In 1957, C. Northcote Parkinson described a fictional committee meeting. The agenda had two items: approving a £10 million nuclear reactor and designing a bicycle shed for the staff.

The Nuclear Reactor vs. The Bike Shed

The committee approved the nuclear reactor in 2.5 minutes. The topic was too complex for most members to grasp, so they assumed the experts had handled it. They nodded, signed the check, and moved on.

Then came the bike shed. Everyone knew what a bike shed was. Everyone had an opinion on the roof material (aluminum vs. asbestos). Everyone cared about the cost of paint. The debate lasted for 45 minutes.

This phenomenon is known as Parkinson's Law of Triviality, or more commonly, "bike-shedding." It states that the time spent on any item of the agenda will be in inverse proportion to the sum involved.

Why We Do It

We gravitate toward trivial decisions because they are safe.

• Low Cognitive Load: You don't need a PhD in nuclear physics to have an opinion on a logo color. It's accessible.
• Low Risk: If you're wrong about the bike shed paint, the company won't go bankrupt. If you're wrong about the reactor containment vessel, it's a disaster. We avoid the scary decisions.
• Illusion of Contribution: Speaking up makes us feel like we're adding value. In a meeting, silence feels like uselessness. So we chime in on the easy stuff to prove we are working.

The Cost of Triviality

While the team argues about the bike shed, the nuclear reactor (your core product, your business model, your security architecture) goes unscrutinized. This misallocation of attention is fatal for startups.

It also destroys morale. High performers hate bike-shedding. Watching a room full of smart people debate the font size of a PowerPoint slide for 30 minutes is a recipe for resignation.

How to Stop It

To defeat the Law of Triviality, you must ruthlessly quantify impact.

1. The "High Impact" Question

When a debate drags on, the meeting facilitator must ask: "Is this a High Impact decision?" If the answer is no, make a decision immediately (flip a coin if you have to) and move on.

2. Limit the Participants

The more people in the room, the more likely bike-shedding becomes. Invite only the people who have the expertise to make the decision. You don't need the whole marketing team to decide on the color of a button.

3. Set Strict Time Limits

Allocate time based on importance, not complexity. "We have 5 minutes to decide on the bike shed. If we can't agree, the Project Manager decides."

Conclusion

Your attention is a finite resource. Spend it on the reactor, not the shed.