General
optics
What does optics mean?
The public or internal perception of a decision or event, independent of its substance.
"Laying people off right after a bonus round is bad optics."
Origin
From optics/appearance; political and corporate usage since the 2000s.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'optics' mean in business?
How something looks to other people, independent of whether it's actually right or wrong. 'Bad optics' means a decision that looks bad even if it's defensible.
Is 'optics' the same as reputation?
Related but narrower. Optics is about how a specific decision or event appears in the moment; reputation is the longer-term standing that such perceptions build up.
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