3 ms·

Yes, but what if you'd just...finished and started working on something else? I'll take a 95% solution delivered in 2 weeks over a 99% one delivered in 2 month

by TylerE 2y ago

Yes, but what if you'd just...finished and started working on something else? I'll take a 95% solution delivered in 2 weeks over a 99% one delivered in 2 months.

lolinder 2y ago
> I'll take a 95% solution delivered in 2 weeks over a 99% one delivered in 2 months. This depends a lot on the context. If I deliver the 95% in 2 weeks can I ship an update in 2 months that delivers the 99%, or are we stuck forever at 95% (due to technical limitations or business reality)? If I'll be able to deliver the 99% soon, then sure, let's ship the 95% sooner rather than later. But if for whatever reason I realistically cannot do that, then you have to consider the context. What is left out in the 95%? How soon will it be a problem that we're missing that remaining 4%? Who will notice the missing pieces? Will they be able to work around their absence? Many times you may still come to the conclusion that the 95% is the right move, but sometimes it's better to not offer the two-week plan as an option if the fallout from that missing 4% is going to be high.
- rectang 2y ago
  This is exactly the analysis that is missing from the article and any facile, absolutist statement decrying “perfectionism”. Productivity is an optimization problem. There are tradeoffs which have to be managed. Depending on the context (e.g. prototype phase vs mature, widely used software) you manage those tradeoffs differently.
- shrimp_emoji 2y ago
  > are we stuck forever at 95% (due to technical limitations or business reality)? E.g., the Twitch codebase They can't change it or add new features or fix problems because it's too much of an unholy startup crack-fueled mess. Not even companies who stole the leaked codebase can improve the horrible user experience on their Twitch clones whatsoever.

3 ms·

Yes, but what if you'd just...finished and started working on something else? I'll take a 95% solution delivered in 2 weeks over a 99% one delivered in 2 month

by TylerE 2y ago

Yes, but what if you'd just...finished and started working on something else? I'll take a 95% solution delivered in 2 weeks over a 99% one delivered in 2 months.

lolinder 2y ago
> I'll take a 95% solution delivered in 2 weeks over a 99% one delivered in 2 months. This depends a lot on the context. If I deliver the 95% in 2 weeks can I ship an update in 2 months that delivers the 99%, or are we stuck forever at 95% (due to technical limitations or business reality)? If I'll be able to deliver the 99% soon, then sure, let's ship the 95% sooner rather than later. But if for whatever reason I realistically cannot do that, then you have to consider the context. What is left out in the 95%? How soon will it be a problem that we're missing that remaining 4%? Who will notice the missing pieces? Will they be able to work around their absence? Many times you may still come to the conclusion that the 95% is the right move, but sometimes it's better to not offer the two-week plan as an option if the fallout from that missing 4% is going to be high.
- rectang 2y ago
  This is exactly the analysis that is missing from the article and any facile, absolutist statement decrying “perfectionism”. Productivity is an optimization problem. There are tradeoffs which have to be managed. Depending on the context (e.g. prototype phase vs mature, widely used software) you manage those tradeoffs differently.
- shrimp_emoji 2y ago
  > are we stuck forever at 95% (due to technical limitations or business reality)? E.g., the Twitch codebase They can't change it or add new features or fix problems because it's too much of an unholy startup crack-fueled mess. Not even companies who stole the leaked codebase can improve the horrible user experience on their Twitch clones whatsoever.