Word Spy - throw it over the wall

throw it over the wall

v. To pass a project or problem to another person or department without consulting with them or coordinating the transfer in any way.

Example Citation:

"Craig Estep...says that the root of the CitationJet problem was 'engineering would design the airplane and throw it over the wall to manufacturing who would take what they got' and move on to production--a classic failure."
—Philip Siekman, "Cessna Tackles Lean Manufacturing," Fortune, May 1, 2000

Notes:

This phrase isn't even close to being new, but it's popping up all over in places where business buzzwords rule the verbal roost. I went on a search for the earliest citation, and came up with the following:

"'We had senior people from about 10 corporations in here, all suggesting ways to go,' he says. 'It was very unusual -- they didn't know anything about computers -- but extremely worthwhile. We didn't just want to create something in the lab and then throw it over the wall to the marketing guys and say, 'OK, now go sell it to business.' We got business involved in the design process.'"
—Douglas M. Bailey, "'Financial Advisor' Puts Experts' Wisdom Inside Your Mainframe," New England Business, November 4, 1985

Related Words:

ego wall
stovepipe organization

Categories:

Buzzwords
General
Idioms

Posted on December 6, 2000