top down

/tɑp daʊn/
adverb
  1. In a way that starts at the highest level and moves downward, especially in decision-making or organization.
    • Changes in the military are often directed top-down, with orders coming from generals to soldiers.
    • The software was developed top-down, beginning with the main program and then adding smaller modules.
    • The new policy was implemented top-down, from the board of directors to every employee.
adjective
  1. Relating to a system or process where decisions are made by people in high positions and passed down to lower levels.
    • In a top-down approach, the government sets national goals and local areas must follow them.
    • The company uses a top-down management style where the CEO makes all major decisions.
    • The school adopted a top-down curriculum, with all lesson plans created by the district office.
  2. Starting from the general or whole and moving to the specific details or parts.
    • The teacher used a top-down method to teach reading, starting with the story's meaning rather than individual letters.
    • A top-down analysis of the problem begins with the big picture before looking at individual factors.
    • For this project, we will use a top-down design, first outlining the overall structure.
What does "top down" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean