Fallbackdoel

Fallbackdoel is a term used in planning and decision making to designate a secondary objective that serves as a fallback if the primary objective cannot be achieved. It is intended to preserve progress, provide direction under uncertainty, and guide resource allocation when constraints prevent meeting the main goal.

A fallbackdoel is typically defined alongside the primary goal in project charters, requirements documents, or strategic plans. It is described with specific, measurable criteria and a timeframe, and explicit triggers are established for when the fallback should be pursued—for example, when scope, budget, or schedule risks materialize. The idea is to have a clear, acceptable alternative that maintains value even if the original target proves unattainable.

In practice, the fallbackdoel may be a minimum viable outcome, a reduced feature set, a quality-of-service target, or a degraded but functional state that preserves core functionality. Examples include delivering a simplified product version, ensuring a system can operate in a safe or degraded mode, or shifting to an alternative objective that protects strategic interests.

Etymology and usage: The term is a compound formed from the Dutch word doel meaning goal and the English word fallback, reflecting its use in some Dutch-language management and IT contexts. The concept aligns with contingency planning and risk management, but the term is not universally standardized and usage varies by organization.

See also: contingency planning, risk management, objective hierarchy, fallback strategy.