Overengineering: meaning, definitions and examples

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overengineering

 

[ ˈəʊvərˌɛndʒɪˈnɪərɪŋ ]

Verb / Noun
Context #1 | Verb

software development

To design a product with more features and complexity than necessary, often resulting in decreased performance, increased costs, and longer development time.

Synonyms

overcomplicate, overcomplicate, overdesign

Examples of usage

  • John spent months overengineering the new software, adding unnecessary features that no one requested.
  • The team realized they were overengineering the project when they started encountering performance issues.
  • Overengineering the system led to delays in the project timeline and budget overruns.
Context #2 | Noun

engineering

The act of designing a product with more complexity or features than necessary, often leading to inefficiencies and unnecessary costs.

Synonyms

excessive design, overcomplication, overdesigning

Examples of usage

  • The overengineering of the bridge resulted in higher construction costs.
  • Overengineering can be a common pitfall in the field of civil engineering.
  • The team identified the overengineering of the product early in the design phase.

Translations

Translations of the word "overengineering" in other languages:

🇵🇹 superengenharia

🇮🇳 अति अभियान्त्रिकी

🇩🇪 Übertechnik

🇮🇩 overengineering

🇺🇦 надмірне інженерування

🇵🇱 nadmierne inżynierowanie

🇯🇵 過剰工学 (かじょうこうがく)

🇫🇷 sur-ingénierie

🇪🇸 sobreingeniería

🇹🇷 aşırı mühendislik

🇰🇷 과잉 엔지니어링

🇸🇦 الهندسة المفرطة

🇨🇿 přeinženýrování

🇸🇰 preinžinierovanie

🇨🇳 过度工程 (guòdù gōngchéng)

🇸🇮 prekomerno inženirstvo

🇮🇸 ofverkfræðingur

🇰🇿 артық инженерия

🇬🇪 ზედმეტი ინჟინერია

🇦🇿 artıq mühəndislik

🇲🇽 sobreingeniería

Word origin

The term 'overengineering' originated in the field of engineering, where it refers to the process of designing a product with unnecessary complexity or features. It has since been adopted in various industries, including software development, to describe the phenomenon of creating solutions that are more complicated than needed. Overengineering can lead to increased costs, longer development times, and decreased performance. It is important for designers and developers to strike a balance between meeting requirements and avoiding unnecessary complexity.

See also: bioengineering, engineered, engineers.