Browse Definitions :
Definition

reality check

A reality check is a second opinion, either requested or provided voluntarily, about the status of some current situation. Reality checks are similar to fact checking but are less formal.

When a reality check is volunteered, it's typically because the person offering it believes the person or organization in question is significantly mistaken about something. In a situation where someone asks another person for a reality check, it may be because they're dealing with a complex issue and are aware of the potential for errors.

In content creation, for example, errors can include simple typos, misinformation and slanted arguments resulting from cognitive bias. The four eyes principle -- a requirement that two people review a document -- is a type of reality check designed  to detect such errors so they don't appear in the final version. For important matters, it may be advisable to seek expert advice.

Reality checks are particularly important in business, where overconfidence often leads to a lack of preparedness and an inability to deal with setbacks. In a recent study exploring the expectations of 2994 entrepreneurs, for example, 81 percent of respondents rated their startups' odds of success at better than 7 out of 10, while 33 percent rated their chances at 10 out of 10, with no possibility of failure. In actuality, a significant number of startups never get traction and only one in 10 of those that do launch is still in business after five years. In this scenario, a reality check could consist of having an analyst evaluate your business plan and suggest areas that need improvement.  

 

This was last updated in March 2017

Continue Reading About reality check

Networking
  • remote infrastructure management

    Remote infrastructure management, or RIM, is a comprehensive approach to handling and overseeing an organization's IT ...

  • port address translation (PAT)

    Port address translation (PAT) is a type of network address translation (NAT) that maps a network's private internal IPv4 ...

  • network fabric

    'Network fabric' is a general term used to describe underlying data network infrastructure as a whole.

Security
CIO
  • digital innovation

    Digital innovation is the adoption of modern digital technologies by a business.

  • business goals

    A business goal is an endpoint, accomplishment or target an organization wants to achieve in the short term or long term.

  • vertical SaaS (software as a service)

    Vertical SaaS describes a type of software as a service solution created for a specific industry, such as retail, financial ...

HRSoftware
  • employee onboarding and offboarding

    Employee onboarding involves all the steps needed to get a new employee successfully deployed and productive, while offboarding ...

  • skill-based learning

    Skill-based learning develops students through hands-on practice and real-world application.

  • gamification

    Gamification is a strategy that integrates entertaining and immersive gaming elements into nongame contexts to enhance engagement...

Customer Experience
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365

    Dynamics 365 is a cloud-based portfolio of business applications from Microsoft that are designed to help organizations improve ...

  • Salesforce Commerce Cloud

    Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a cloud-based suite of products that enable e-commerce businesses to set up e-commerce sites, drive ...

  • Salesforce DX

    Salesforce DX, or SFDX, is a set of software development tools that lets developers build, test and ship many kinds of ...

Close