[lcrmorin]

I work for the government so really know this feeling. I have a funny exemple in mind. Months ago I got pulled into a meeting because 'I know data'. The phrasing alone was a red flag. Lots of high level people in the meeting. Like 10 people, each one payed at least twice as much as me. The goal is to transfer data that is too big for our 'standard pipelines'. They are discussing building a whole new pipeline, contractors would be involved and all. I asked 'stupid questions': "- How big is the data we are discussing ? - '200 Go' - is it recurring ? - No - is it sensitive ? - No - Why don't we buy a 50$ 1to hard drive and transfer the data manually ?"

Last question was followed by the longest silence I ever heard in a meeting... I wasn't invited the next meetings. I heard it took them more than 5 other meetings to reconsider my solution. An intern has finally been sent to buy the hard drive last week.

[cjalmeida]

The problem was throwing the solution at their faces like that. The key to looking stupid is not making others look stupid.

There are ways to create roundabouts so that the solution looks “elegant” but only after “hard thought”.

There’s also the risk that the simple solution has some real limitation (eg. some regulatory issue) then you’ll will indeed look stupid

[cutemonster]

I wonder if they felt that your idea made them look stupid / incompetent. (Which it seems they were)

Maybe then they didn't want you in the meetings?

(Whilst the idea was good so that's what they did in the end)

(200 Go = GB I suppose)