reinvent the wheel

To do something in a wholly and drastically new way, often unnecessarily. (Usually used in negative constructions.) The film doesn't reinvent the wheel for action films, but it adds enough clever twists on the genre to still feel fresh and new. The company is often criticized for trying to reinvent the wheel every time they bring a new product to market, adding gimmicks and innovations nobody wanted or asked for.

Fig. to make unnecessary or redundant preparations. You don't need to reinvent the wheel. Read up on what others have done. I don't have to reinvent the wheel, but I will be cautious before I act.

Do something again, from the beginning, especially in a needless or inefficient effort, as in School committees need not reinvent the wheel every time they try to improve the curriculum. This expression alludes to the invention of a simple but very important device that requires no improvement. [Second half of 1900s]

If someone reinvents the wheel, they develop an idea or project that they consider new or different, when it is really no better than something that already exists. To avoid reinventing the wheel, it is important that managers are familiar with established research findings in this area. The problem is that they tend to reinvent the wheel each time they are called upon to respond to a new refugee emergency.

To do or make something again, from the beginning, especially in a needless or inefficient effort.

To belabor the obvious; to start again from the beginning when there is no need to. This Americanism dates from the second half of the twentieth century and most likely originated in business or industry. “‘The new compiler here is no different from the old one,’ said a Defense Department spokesman. ‘Let’s not reinvent the wheel’” (Boston Herald, 1984).