mission critical

Definition

So important that failure would be catastrophic, a designation applied liberally to everything from database servers to the CEO's preferred coffee brand.

Example Usage

IT says fixing the email server is mission critical, but they said the same thing about the kitchen refrigerator.

Origin

Military and aerospace terminology from the 1960s

Fun Fact

When everything is mission critical, nothing is—yet IT departments continue labeling mundane items this way to justify budgets.

Source: IT and operations management terminology

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