ill-defined task

[ɪl dɪˈfaɪnd tæsk]
noun phrasepl: ill-defined tasks
tarefa mal definida
1. A task or assignment whose objectives, requirements, constraints, or success criteria are unclear, ambiguous, or incompletely specified
The project manager struggled with the ill-defined task of 'improving customer satisfaction without a clear budget.'
O gerente de projeto teve dificuldade com a tarefa mal definida de 'melhorar a satisfação do cliente sem um orçamento claro'.
2. A problem that lacks sufficient information or parameters to be solved effectively or to determine when it has been completed successfully
Artificial intelligence often struggles with ill-defined tasks that require subjective judgment.
A inteligência artificial frequentemente tem dificuldade com tarefas mal definidas que exigem julgamento subjetivo.
This term is widely used in software development, artificial intelligence research, and project management in both Brazil and the USA. In Brazilian corporate culture, emphasis is often placed on collaborative clarification (diálogo) to resolve ill-defined tasks, while American contexts may emphasize rapid prototyping and iterative refinement to handle ambiguity.
NYC Slang
a hot mess of a task
Synonyms / Sinônimos
ambiguous taskvague taskunclear taskpoorly specified tasknebulous taskopen-ended task
Antonyms / Antônimos
well-defined taskclear taskwell-specified taskprecisely defined task

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
tarefa mal definida
Standard term used in business and project management contexts
São Paulo
tarefa mal especificada
Alternative phrasing more common in corporate environments
Rio de Janeiro
tarefa confusa
More colloquial alternative emphasizing confusion
Portugal
tarefa mal definida
Same terminology used in European Portuguese business contexts

Related Words

task specificationrequirement gatheringproject scopedeliverablessuccess criteriaunstructured problem

Related Idioms & Phrases

up in the air
shooting in the dark
moving the goalposts
like herding cats
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