Draft pattern
The Temporary Fix Becomes the Platform
A workaround survives long enough to become critical infrastructure.
How it starts
Something needs to be kept moving. A spreadsheet, script, manual checklist or side process appears because waiting for the proper solution would be worse.
How it drifts
The fix starts attracting dependants. Reports use it. People build routines around it. New joiners are taught the workaround as if it were the system.
Why it survives
Nobody wants to be the person who breaks the thing that is currently saving everyone. The official platform remains disappointing, but the unofficial one is now too important to admit.
What to watch
Look for temporary tools with named owners, recurring meetings, access requests and business-critical language around them. The temporary fix has acquired a constituency.
Questions worth asking
- What would fail if this workaround stopped tomorrow?
- Who is maintaining it without formal recognition?
- What decision was postponed when this fix was created?
- Is the fix still reducing risk, or is it now hiding it?
Comment carefully
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