terminology - Is there a term for polishing something too early?


I imagine there must be a term/idiom/phrase for polishing something too early...


For example:



  • Painting the walls of a room before completing other work which may accidentally damage them.

  • Adding detail to a section of a drawing that you may likely need to radically change later (and lose the detail work)

  • Optimizing a software function which might be deemed unnecessary before it's even used


Though I can't seem to think of what this is called (no luck with searching either).


Originally I posted this in the 'workplace' stack exchange but was recommended to try here.



Answer



Well I normally hear - "You are doing that bass-ackwards!"


Which is just a nice way to say ass backwards, or doing something in the wrong order.



Ass backwards. The state doing (or having done) something the wrong way.



A nicer way to say it, "You are jumping the gun there."



To start something prematurely.


to do something before it should be done



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