[dontTREATonme]

I recently joined a very old company, with many lifers, I continuously run into this mentality. “I can’t explain it now, but I’m sure there was a good reason for it, so we’re gonna continue doing it this way”

[isk517]

The real issue is that most business just don't document anything to do with their processes. Chance are that there are a hand full of things that there are a good reason for doing and they do need to be done that way. Except the people that identified that original problem and came up with original solution have all left the company so now there is nobody around that has put in the effort (or been given the time to investigate) to figure out why things are done the way they are, and the last time one of the things that had been done forever was suddenly stopped it caused untold amount of chaos so now the directive is to just keep doing everything we've always done.

[neuronflux]

Of course it is typically wise to consider Chesterton's fence.

[anonym29]

Per Chesterton's Fence, isn't this the right course of action for any individual who is unsure of why the practice was started?

https://www.lesswrong.com/w/chesterton-s-fence

[Y_Y]

I like that fence, but I consider the best course of action to be going and finding out why the thing is done the eay it is, even if it necessitates careful investigation.