groundfirst

Groundfirst is a term used in several fields to describe the practice of prioritizing grounding or foundational stabilization before advancing to subsequent steps. It is not tied to a single discipline and lacks a formal, universally accepted definition.

Variations of the concept appear in electrical safety, where ground-first guidelines emphasize establishing a solid protective earth connection before energizing equipment to reduce shock and fault risks; in engineering and construction, the phrase can refer to prioritizing site preparation and foundations before superstructure work; in robotics and computer vision, practitioners may use the idea to ensure reference frames, calibration, and environmental grounding are secured before higher-level planning or control tasks. In software development contexts, the term is used by some teams to emphasize aligning software models with real-world data before implementing new features.

Origins and usage vary by region and field, and no standardized protocol exists. Proponents argue that grounding first improves reliability, safety, and transparency, while critics suggest it may slow progress if overemphasized at the expense of iterative testing.

See also grounding; foundational design; risk management.