Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun idiomatic Any apparently
useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem. - noun idiomatic The actually
useless activity you do that appears important when you are consciously or unconsciously procrastinating about a larger problem.
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Uncertain.
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Examples
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Yak shaving is to start working on one task that leads you to perform another, and results in a seemingly never ending queue of tasks, diverting you from the original goal.
5 Commonly Used Idioms in the Tech Industry Karina Chow 2023
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Carlin Vieri, another MIT matriculant, coined the term “yak shaving” to refer to problems that arise in the course of trying to solve a problem.
Stripe: Thinking Like a Civilization | The Generalist Artwork by 2023
frogapplause commented on the word yak shaving
?!
August 11, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word yak shaving
Ooh, I didn't know someone had entered this. And I can't remember where we had a conversation about it in the last several weeks (months?). This came up at work; it indicates an activity (or several) you have to do in order to get something else done. For example, if you want to get the monthly sales reports, first you have to ask this person, who needs to get the weekly reports from you, but your software hasn't been updated, so you have to get IT to install it, only that guy's on vacation... You end up shaving a yak in order to get the first thing done.
I described this badly. I bet reesetee or Pro or someone will remember where the original comment was...
August 11, 2008
plethora commented on the word yak shaving
Could it have been on yak-shaving?
August 11, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word yak shaving
*facepalm*
Well, at least I provided another example. So far this is shaping up to be a great day. Think I'll log off for a while.
August 11, 2008