disregardmust

Disregardmust is a neologism used in discussions of decision making to describe a tendency in which individuals deprioritize or overlook must-have criteria when evaluating options. The term blends disregard and must to signal ignoring non-negotiable requirements in favor of flexible or aspirational attributes. Although not widely formalized in peer-reviewed literature, disregardmust has appeared in thought experiments and informal analyses as a way to discuss why good options can fail when critical constraints are neglected.

Etymology and concept: The word is a portmanteau created to emphasize the contrast between essential requirements and expendable features. In practice, disregardmust points to situations where evaluators fixate on desirable trade-offs or potential gains while neglecting mandatory conditions such as safety, legality, or feasibility.

Mechanism and contexts: The effect tends to emerge under time pressure, information overload, or framing that highlights upside rather than necessity. Cognitive factors such as optimism, anchoring, scarcity, or prioritization of flexibility can shift attention away from must-have criteria, leading to suboptimal decisions. It is discussed in contexts including consumer choice, hiring, project scoping, and policy design.

Implications: Recognizing disregardmust can help practitioners implement decision aids like checklists, mandatory criteria, or structured scoring to ensure essential constraints are evaluated. It also serves as a reminder of the risks of overemphasizing attractive features at the expense of essential requirements, with potential consequences for safety, compliance, or overall feasibility.

Critique: As a coined term, disregardmust lacks standardized measurement and robust empirical validation. It is primarily used as an illustrative concept rather than a rigorously defined phenomenon.

See also: Deontic logic, must, cognitive biases, decision-making, checklist design.