Paralysis by analysis
Paralysis by analysis (ger .: analysis paralysis ) describes the excessive analyzing a situation whereby making a decision out delayed or even completely prevented. A possible decision is seen by the person concerned as too complicated, too extensive, which means that the solution of the actual problem is delayed and the search for the "perfect" solution replaces it. Fear of choosing a suboptimal solution - in the sense of "extinction by instinct" (Engl .: extinct by instinct ), fatal decisions by hasty judgments or gut feeling - also blocked the decision process.
Examples
Examples can be found in software development , where paralysis manifests itself through excessive planning, design, and modeling without delivering great added value for the project. The phenomenon can also be found in board games when players are overwhelmed by the multitude of possible decisions and take an unusually long time to make their move.