What can be used as formal euphemism of "hack"?

Question

I'm writing a technical document, and I need to convey the fact that we had to find a non-optimal, non-orthodox solution that was adopted as the best available alternative (a hack) to solve an otherwise problematic issue.

Please note that I refer to the positive meaning of "hack", and not at the negative one, as clarified in this question.

To me, "escamotage" doesn't sound really appropriate in a technical document, and "hack" seems a bit informal and not very "technical".

Is there a construction that can help?

Answer 1

I would go so far as to say that unless you are very sure of your audience, you should not use "escamotage" at all, as it is not in broad circulation (0 hits at the Corpus of Contemporary American English(COCA)) .

If you don't want to label it a hack, a short descriptive phrase such as "short-term patch" or "temporary workaround" that emphasize that it is not a viable long-term arrangement should be suitable.

Answer 2

I' have seen the term quick fix (119 million google hits) used in similar circumstances. It has all the connotation of "not optimal" since that would require time for properly engineering a better solution.

Answer 3

Expedient:

(noun) Something contrived or used to meet an urgent need; a means devised or employed in an exigency: Use any expedients you think necessary to get over the obstacles in your way.
(adj) tending to promote some proposed or desired object; fit or suitable for the purpose; proper under the circumstances;

(sources: The Free Dictionary, Dictionary.com)

The etymology of expedient, from the Online Etymology Dictionary is from expedite:

expedite (v.) Look up expedite at Dictionary.com c.1500 (implied in past participle expedit "accomplished"), from Latin expeditus, past participle of expedire "extricate, disengage, liberate; procure, make ready, put in order, make fit, prepare; explain, make clear," literally "free the feet from fetters," hence to liberate from difficulties, from ex- "out" (see ex-) + *pedis "fetter, chain for the feet," related to pes (genitive pedis) "foot" (see foot (n.)). Compare Greek pede "fetter." Related: Expedited; expediting.

Some definitions indicate that an expedient conveys a sense of reduced moral interest, particularly a sense of being used in one's self interest, but the etymology doesn't show this. At the same time, other definitions (some given above) suggest that an expedient is less about perfection and more about making progress. Thus it may be a stopgap, a makeshift approach, a hack.

I use expedient in technical reports in the same or similar way to your need. Here is an example:

As an expedient, noise was pre-whitened and orthogonalized in non-real-time software. This was done to avoid the cost and time it would take to implement a hardware solution with the limited resources that were available. This can be shown to have been done without introducing any bias in the final results.

Answer 4

You might choose to describe it as a "makeshift solution."

Answer 5

Workaround or Kludge.

Kludge is a bit negative connotation but fits if it's a temporary hack that will be re-addressed so the negative meaning isn't dwelled upon.

Workaround has no real negative connotations and simply implies you had to find a route other than the typical one to get it done.

Answer 6

if you have plans on improving the solution later on - you can try using "an interim solution"

n. An interval of time between one event, process, or period and another. adj. Belonging to, serving during, or taking place during an intermediate interval of time; temporary: an interim agreement. See Synonyms at temporary.

Answer 7

MacGyvered - just kidding. I would say improvise: as in an improvised solution.

Improvise has a positive connotation of quick-wittedness about it.

Answer 8

When I have need to describe this sort of thing in the past, I've always wanted to stress that, if a future project would expand this part of the system, this hack would probably need to be redone properly. I called it a provisional solution. In my mind it conveys the important things -- yes it is a working solution, no it's not done in the proper way, and yes you will extra budget for improvement at some point if work on it continues.

But I like "workaround" and "unorthodox solution" just as much, they just highlight different properties.

Answer 9

I would describe it as a tactical solution (in contrast to a strategic solution) to indicate that the fix isn't necessarily a long-term or clean one, but makes sense given the local/short-term constraints.

Answer 10

Ingenious could work depending on inventiveness of the solution.

Answer 11

I suggestion you say something like, "We implemented a solution that was non-optimal and atypical." Then in the rest of the document, simply call your action "the solution." If your audience is technical enough to distinguish "workaround" from "we fixed the bug/problem" then they would be technical enough to understand the nuances of "hack."

Since they are not, don't burden them with words that even remotely technical except where necessary. My intuition is that your audience is most interested in whether the problem is gone. To them, if the problem, is gone, you implemented a solution. Any nuance on solution will either be a distraction to them or wasted on them.

Answer 12

patch is the technical jargon for a simple temporary solution in programming.

6. Computing A small piece of code inserted into a program to improve its functioning or to correct a fault:

Answer 13

I use the term creative solution meaning "hack" (or even "bodge.")

Answer 14

I guess I might call such a thing an ad hoc solution. Or perhaps a pragmatic one. To me (but I'm not a native speaker), both of these terms convey the image of something which works well enough in practice, but which is neither beautifully designed nor has been subject to much theoretical analysis.