Corporate Vocabulary Field Guide

What “Throw Spaghetti at the Wall” Actually Means

To try many things quickly and see what works.

What it actually means
We don't have a strategy and we're hoping volume substitutes for one.
Surface meaning: To try many things quickly and see what works.
If someone just said “Throw Spaghetti at the Wall” in a meeting, here is what they probably meant, what to do about it, and how to keep your sanity.
In the wild
VP: Let's throw some spaghetti at the wall. (Wall is now covered in spaghetti and no decisions.)
How to respond

Set the success criteria before the first noodle leaves the pot. 'Stuck' is not a metric.

Origin

American kitchen tradition: testing pasta doneness. Migrated to marketing strategy in the 2010s.

FAQ
What does "Throw Spaghetti at the Wall" actually mean?
We don't have a strategy and we're hoping volume substitutes for one.
Where did the phrase "Throw Spaghetti at the Wall" come from?
American kitchen tradition: testing pasta doneness. Migrated to marketing strategy in the 2010s.
How should I respond when someone says "Throw Spaghetti at the Wall"?
Set the success criteria before the first noodle leaves the pot. 'Stuck' is not a metric.
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Next in the glossary
30,000-Foot View→In the Weeds→Keep Me in the Loop→

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