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Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

(OP)
Does anyone know the term for the following scenario?

Person A asks person B for a solution to a problem.
Person B has an interest in promoting solution x; although solution y would be more favourable for person A.
Person B presents person A with solution x which they know is not favourable to person A along with solution z.
Solution z is intentionally poorly designed by person B that person A sees solution x as being a favourable solution, unaware of solution y which would ulitmately be more favourable.

I have come across it a few times in my career so far but have never learnt the term for it, I presume it has one as it is clearly used as a business strategy (with morals of which I presume often come up in the Ethics and Business Practices forums).

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

You've been watching the American presidential campaign, too, eh?

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

There has got to be a Dilbert comic about this.

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

Lesser of two evils?

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

"Picking the feces up by the clean end"

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

Sounds kind of like using option Z as a shill

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

The term is "shananigans"

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

disingenuity.

f-d

ípapß gordo ainÆt no madre flaca!

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

office games.

but seriously you have to be politic in working with others.

if your boss tells you to prepare a particular solution to the problem, and you do something else ... expect fireworks.

if your boss gives you a problem and suggests a solution, and you do something else ... defend the immediate question "what was wrong with my suggestion?"

if you boss gives you a problem, and you think he'll favour a particular solution ... then providing that solution (so long as it is a good one) will probably win favour !

if the boss's preferred solution had clear problems (once you get into the details) then explaining these problems may create changes to make a workable solution.

Remember there are many ways to skin cats (but cats like none of them).

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

TED7,

Is solution z presented as a comedy act, or was it made to look serious? One brainstorming strategy is to present all ideas, no matter how obviously idiotic. It may turn out to not be idiotic, or it may inspire a good idea from someone else. If person B is aware of solution y, then there may be some nasty office politics going on.

--
JHG

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

further, I'd never present an obviously flawed solution "what sort of idiot are you ?".

what are the differences between x, y, and z ? is one easier to accomplish today ? yesterday ?? (ie this is how we used to do it. yes, but we don't have the skills today or yes, but we can't certify that today) is someone getting kick-backs ?? if they all reasonable solutions to the problem, what's the issue ??

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

Seems key to point out that the OP did not ask for advice on the situation; just if there was a particular term or phrase coined for such a situation. This is just the language/grammar section, after all. :)

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

One could call option Z a "red herring", something that intentionally obfuscates or distracts one from the best solution. But it does seem that there should be a more specific term for this.

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

This is the straw man fallacy.

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

(OP)
Without falling from this forum into the Business Practices forum.

My company has paid a suppier for generation of two concept designs, the concepts are complex enough to warrant payment for concept generation. I was presented with X and Z and paid the supplier for them with the intent being I then select one of the two for manufacture and then pay the same supplier to develop and manufacture the chosen solution.

I have no idea if they have independently generated and discarded Y by themselves but I know it exists because I have a piece of equipment which solves a similar problem which looks far simpler and cheaper than both X and Z.

Had I presented Y and asked for something similar, it wouldn't have been a problem but I discovered Y already existed after being presented with X and Z.

The solution will probably be to pay for X and Z's concepts (the both meet the design brief really), disregard them, present Y and ask for that.

I think we can call this "Picking up the straw herring by the shenanigans"

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

If they are going to manufacture also, what incentive do they have to reduce product cost? They saw a blank check and no competitors, so they went for it.

If you ask them to design a vehicle to transport people on the ground, but don't say it should have four wheels like a car (Y), I guess you'd get designs for a tank (X) and a hovercraft (Z).

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

(OP)
I never said Y was cheaper, only 'better'.

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

Some posters haven't really addressed the original question by the OP in fact some might even fall into the category the OP is describing - for me the best terms send to be "hoodwinked".

It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. (Sherlock Holmes - A Scandal in Bohemia.)

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

Bamboozled may be a decent term for your scenario.

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

Politics!

Please remember: we're not all guys!

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

Flimflammed!

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

Gesundheit!

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

I don't know the term for hiding the best product and presenting a very poor product to induce a customer to choose a less than best product. I hope we discover the term for this specific sales ploy.

A similar concept is the decoy effect. In that case the customer can see all the options, but is induced to an option they wouldn't have chosen by the introduction of third option.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoy_effect

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

'Red Herring' might cover it.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

"Does anyone know the term for the following scenario?"

My initial, snarky response was going to be, "Short sighted."

But then I read your own reply, saying:
  • you considered the problem and solution "complex enough to warrant payment for concept generation" after, presumably, doing due diligence
  • you were unaware yourself of an existing, supposedly superior solution until after you reached the point of seeking outside help
So I would have to withhold judgement without more information.

Only a terrible and/or desperate (and hence, likely terrible) businessperson would act in that way. I'm a consultant, and if the best way to serve a potential client is to refer them to someone else or explain why they don't need me, that's what I will do. Just as I will help them to understand the problem or scope of challenge they face if they are unaware of that.

- Rob Campbell, PE
Learn precision engineering at practicalprecision.com

RE: Presenting an awful idea to make a bad idea look good.

I've had to use similar tactics...

Had a manager ask me for recommendations on a fix. I gave him 3 or 4, intentionally leaving out 1 or 2 that were discussed (but not well thought of by the team).

He asked me why I left those out.

My response: "Cause you might select one of them."

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