Best Practices?
The BBC reports that the UK Local Government Association has a new banned words list, including our favorite, “best practices.”
Andrew asked me in email if this was a best practice, and I wrote back:
Does it pass the seven whys test?
- Why did they ban the phrase? Because it’s meaningless business
speak - Why is it meaningless business speak? Because it removes context
and appeals to authoritarianism - Why does it appeal to authoritarianism? Because it simply asserts
bestness without proving it. - Why does it assert bestness? We’re not sure, but its probably
laziness - Why aren’t you sure? We’re lazy ourselves. We hear it’s a best
practice
Nope. Not a best practice, even if it is highly advisable.
Test Comment
Does it pass the seven whys test?
Shouldn’t that be “five” instead of “seven”?
Adamo-It’s only a best practice if you can ask “Why” seven times and get good answers.
“The 7 why’s test.”
Is that the Best Practice for Best Practice selection?
Chandler,
Heck yes!
More seriously, it’s a demonstrably effective way I’ve pushed on best practices and figure out if they withstand scrutiny.
The seven is empirically based. Nothing that doesn’t make it through 4 “whys” is an actual best practice, most stuff that makes it through seven is.