loading
loading
Getting lost in a chain of prerequisite side-tasks that drift far from what you set out to do.
You want to fix a bug, but first you need to upgrade a lib, which needs a newer Node, which needs a new package manager, which needs... and now you're three yaks deep configuring a tool unrelated to the original goal. It's a productivity trap that feels like progress. Example: 'I just wanted to add a button and ended up rewriting the build system — pure yak shaving.' Notice the drift and timebox it.
Plainly
Think of Yak Shaving as a shortcut word builders use while talking fast. Getting lost in a chain of prerequisite side-tasks that drift far from what you set out to do.
In practice
Use it as shared vocabulary, but translate it into concrete code or product risk before deciding. In practice, define the owner, input, output, and failure mode before you rely on it.