Band Aid

Type: Organisational

Problem: Management (or responsible co-worker) needs to solve

Context: There is a deep-rooted problem in a company/project that will cause the company/project to fail unless addressed.

Forces:

The problem has been ignored for a period of time.
The problem has risen to the surface and cannot be ignored anymore.
The person(s) solving the problem wants the solution to be quick and

Supposed Solution: Something quick and painless for the majority. Sometimes a requirement or policy change which satisfies PointyHairedBosses. More often than not, a workaround that gives the company/project a new gloss when really nothing has changed.

Resulting Context:

Unlike the human body, a company/project does NOT heal itself once a plastic wrapper is put over a wound.
This AntiPattern is popular because it is usually quick and painless in the short term, but many long term consequences are ignored.
Despite the apparent glossy exterior, a project may now be doomed to fail, because the root problems were not addressed completely or at all!
Often the person(s) applying the bandaid will be celebrated by the PointyHairedBosses for coming up with an original solution, when almost everyone who is inimately involved with the day to day operation will:
- have more work to do because of bandaid;
- have diminished respect for "champion" who applied bandaid; or
- be put out for not being asked about the proper solution.

Design Rationale: ?

Related AntiPatterns: EmperorsNewClothes, ThrownOverTheWall, also employs the use of SmokeAndMirrors

Applicable Positive Patterns: ?

AntiPatternCategory: ManagementAntiPattern

Also Known As: TheQuickFix?, BuffAndShineaRustyCar?, CosmeticSurgery?

Examples in the Literature:

Examples in Practice:

CategoryAntiPattern CategorySolutions CategoryManagementAntiPattern