An AntiPattern, when a design team (either with pressure from management, or of their own accord) attempts a design which will solve all the world's problems--i.e. it's cheaper, better, faster, uses the latest gadgets, tools, technology, and buzzwords, etc. etc. Often times, existing solutions within the enterprise are rejected (on the grounds that they don't meet some requirement--often times a LockoutRequirement) that could be reused to simplify the design (either by ReFactoring or outright incorporation).
BigProjectSyndrome is a failure to DoTheSimplestThingThatCouldPossiblyWork.
Sometimes this is the result of a design team with big egos. Other times, it's the result of wishful thinking on the part of managers who consider it sound management practice to challenge a design team to achieve the difficult (if not impossible).
Frequently, BigProjectSyndrome leads to DeathMarch projects--such projects are often delivered late and over-budget, if at all.
- At this page, let's also talk about the opposite antipattern, where instead of developing cheaper, better, faster solution that actually works, weak existing solutions are forced by the managers. Sometimes this is the result of the organisations allowing managers to shirk work scot free. At other times, the managers do not understand that the existing tools are unsuitable, or merely feign lack of such understanding, while being monetarily incentivized by their vendors. Does anyone know what's the name of this antipattern?