poorly devised

USAGE SUMMARY

"poorly devised" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to describe something that has been set up, planned, or constructed in a way that is not effective or efficient. For example: "The poorly devised plan was met with resistance from the team members."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Poorly devised and executed communications can have far-reaching consequences.

The Guardian

The best risk models will be much less effective in a firm with poorly devised incentives than in one where incentives align with the firm's risk-taking objectives.

Harvard Business Review

But environmental leaders said last week that the $60 million proposal was poorly devised and could be an attempt to propose a plan that voters would reject.

The New York Times

But as the Bush administration learned the hard way in Iraq, poorly devised measurements can become misleading indicators — and can create a false sense of progress.

The New York Times

In a statement at the time, he said that the order was "nothing more than a poorly devised strategy to put pressure on the Legislature".

The New Yorker

Congress passed a hiring tax credit along these lines last year, but it was not well publicized, and some said it was poorly devised.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Because its dogmatic elements of sociability are constructed, and will vary across countries, it stands to reason that they could be devised poorly or incoherently.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Salisbury State University historian Dean J. Kotlowski writes that, "No civil rights initiative developed on Nixon's watch was as sincerely devised or poorly executed as open communities".

Wikipedia

But it's almost impossible to judge the play fairly on the basis of the clumsily inept, poorly acted production that Robert Altman has devised at the Old Vic.

The Guardian

After the initial testing, showing that the patients performed poorly on the bisection task, we devised a slower version to see whether the longer intervals may facilitate discrimination.

Brain

Since then we have devised, implemented and monitored a system to detect poorly performing students, including where there are concerns about professionalism [ 26].

BMC Medical Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "poorly devised", ensure the context clearly indicates what was intended but failed due to poor planning or execution. For example, "The strategy, though ambitious, was "poorly devised", leading to its ultimate failure."

Common error

Avoid using "poorly devised" when the failure stems from external factors rather than flaws in the design itself. If unforeseen circumstances caused the problem, a more accurate phrase might be "unsuccessful" or "ineffective."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "poorly devised" functions as a compound adjective, modifying a noun to indicate that something has been planned or created in an ineffective or inadequate manner. As Ludwig AI clarifies, it points to a deficiency in the planning process.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

4%

Academia

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "poorly devised" is a grammatically correct compound adjective used to criticize the quality of a plan, strategy, or design due to its ineffective planning or execution. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is accepted in written English. While not extremely common, it appears in a variety of sources, including news media, scientific publications, and business documents, as shown in the Ludwig examples. Related phrases include "badly planned", "ineffectively designed" and "poorly conceived", offering subtle variations in meaning depending on the specific context. When employing this phrase, ensure that the context clearly indicates the intended purpose and the reasons for its failure.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

badly planned

Focuses on the planning stage being deficient.

ineffectively designed

Highlights the design aspect as the source of the problem.

poorly planned

Emphasizes the lack of proper planning.

inadequately formulated

Stresses the insufficient or incomplete formulation of something.

flawed in its conception

Points to a fundamental problem in the initial idea.

poorly conceived

Highlights a deficiency in the initial idea or concept.

badly executed

Shifts the focus to the implementation stage, indicating poor execution.

defectively designed

Focuses on inherent flaws in the design itself.

suboptimally structured

Emphasizes a less than ideal arrangement or organization.

deficiently crafted

Highlights the lack of skill or care in the creation process.

FAQs

What does "poorly devised" mean?

"Poorly devised" means something was planned or created ineffectively, leading to an undesirable outcome. It implies a flaw in the design or planning process.

How can I use "poorly devised" in a sentence?

You can use "poorly devised" to describe plans, strategies, or systems. For example, "The "poorly devised" scheme quickly fell apart."

What can I say instead of "poorly devised"?

Alternatives include "badly planned", "ineffectively designed", or "poorly conceived" depending on the specific context.

What is the difference between "poorly devised" and "badly executed"?

"Poorly devised" refers to flaws in the initial planning or design, while "badly executed" refers to problems in the implementation of a plan, even if the plan itself was sound.