Live data from Hacker News

The McDonald's Theory of Bad Ideas

medium.com

71–80 of 141 posts

Re: The McDonald's Theory of Bad Ideas

#71

I use a technique like this when I am stuck trying to write code and can't figure out how to do it efficiently. I ask myself "what is the worst possible way to implement this function?" and start writing that. Sure enough, that gets my mind going almost immediately and I start thinking of the improvements needed to turn it into good code.

Unfortunately, due to doing PHP professionally in a horrible legacy codebase, the answer is usually "Doing it at all". Sigh.

Re: The McDonald's Theory of Bad Ideas

#72
This reminds me of a very similar idea from Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert): http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870329320457610...

Quote: I spent some time working in the television industry, and I learned a technique that writers use. It's called "the bad version." When you feel that a plot solution exists, but you can't yet imagine it, you describe instead a bad version that has no purpose other than stimulating the other writers to imagine a better version.

Re: The McDonald's Theory of Bad Ideas

#73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> what is so bad about McDonald's? Here in Australia [...] McDonald's Australia has excellent QA, process management and supply chain. I received some insight through someone...involved in all that good stuff (my background is QA/Environment so I get to meet some interesting people from various industries). Coworkers from the US all tend to say the same thing after going to an AU McDonald's - great burgers but ~3x th…

Very well put. I can't speak for US McDonald's but Australian McDonald's where I worked in my youth for a bit had very strict QA processes. The store I worked at was in a low income area, but it was kept spotless, food was kept for the minimum amount of time (maximum 10 minutes for fries I think), burgers made to order.

In many neighborhoods I've been in in NYC, McDonalds was easily the cleanest and highest quality restaurant within convenient distance. It smokes most non-gourmet/artisinal establishments.

Re: The McDonald's Theory of Bad Ideas

#75
I always thought starting a discussion with a deliberately bad plan works because people always excel at criticizing existing ideas, but coming up with something new is harder. Creative discussion naturally emerges when there is something that can be improved upon.

Re: The McDonald's Theory of Bad Ideas

#76
Perhaps throwing out a bad idea like McDonalds just lowers the bar so that the others don't have to worry about being looked down upon for having a bad suggestion. No-one wants to be the guy who says "I really like X" while everyone else thinks "X? How low-status."

Re: The McDonald's Theory of Bad Ideas

#77
It certainly is easier to edit than create. You need at least one "creator" on a team with the initiative to get things going when they're stuck. After that, good "editors" can make for pretty effective team players also.

ps. This article hurt my feelings as an MCD stockholder. :)

Re: The McDonald's Theory of Bad Ideas

#78
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a well known psychological effect. The "powers that be" use it all the time to force their will on an initially resisting population. They first propose an obviously draconian and unfair legislation, which is then, after a public outcry, mellowed down to the originally intended form. Hey presto, everyone is now happy about "the concessions and safeguards", forgetting that in the process they got something tha…

You're describing the overton window http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window

Rather, SagelyGuru is describing how to manipulate an Overton window.

Re: The McDonald's Theory of Bad Ideas

#79
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it backfires, then all you need to do is next time say "let's do something different".

Once a precedent has been established, it can be hard to change people's minds, especially if it was fast/easy/convenient the first time around. It really depends on the group.

I think it works well in the writer's case. He knows his audience and has probably worked with them long enough to know where they like to go to eat. He's not taking the risk of McDonald's every day. There wasn't a chance that would happen anyway because even if one or two person wanted to go to McDonalds two days in a row, the group would win out and override it.

Re: The McDonald's Theory of Bad Ideas

#80
I like the article for it's "get started rather than waiting for the perfect solution". However the McDonald's example makes the author sound like he's advocating proposing bad ideas. It's probably best if you don't present ideas that are intentionally awful (like his McDonald's recommendation). You'd just be sabotaging your reputation (you're now "that guy with all the bad ideas").

Get to work and don't be afraid to propose ideas you have.

Post reply on HN