Product Development : Importance of STOP
To create something new, to create something unique, requires passion. Passion, which can drive us to build remarkable things. Product Development is one of such passionate activities. It requires 100% of your effort, 100% of your zeal, and 100% of your passion. But sometimes when we are passionate we forget to realize the importance of a STOP. We keep on working, improving and adding new things. Our entire focus remains on the product which we start treating like our baby. We don’t like to see a single defect in that product. We don’t like to get a single flow in it. This, in result, increases the complexity. Completion becomes tough. We strive for perfection and that creates a never ending journey.
On a similar note, Getting Real talks about the importance of Done.
Decisions are temporary so make the call and move on
Done. Start to think of it as a magical word. When you get to done it means something’s been accomplished. A decision has been made and you can move on. Done means you’re building momentum.
But wait, what if you screw up and make the wrong call? It’s ok. This isn’t brain surgery, it’s a web app. As we keep saying, you’ll likely have to revisit features and ideas multiple times during the process anyway. No matter how much you plan you’re likely to get half wrong anyway. So don’t do the “paralyis through analysis” thing. That only slows progress and saps morale.
Doing it correctly at first go is important, but strive to make it perfect, adds extra burden. The importance question is – do we really need to make it perfect? Can we ever achieve zero defect stage in our product development life cycle? If not – then why to prolong our normal flow to consummate that extra piece of quality?
When things are looking like a never-ending-process, we need to think. We need to revisit our plan and see whether it is really required to continue? Or, we can consider a logical end and move on. Sometimes, theoretically or rather say emotionally it doesn’t look like a good solution but it actually works. STOP at a logical end and START working on other modules always helps in a long run.
Product Development is a journey which requires STOP n START multiple times. We just need to understand when is the time to call them.
As Guy Kawasaki often says – Dont worry, be crappy.
And As Paul Buchheit from gamail says if your product is great it does not need to be good – http://paulbuchheit.blogspot.com/2010/02/if-your-product-is-great-it-doesnt-need.html
Find out the three most important features on your product and spend 80% of your time on those. Do them really well. Everything else does not matter.
> gamail.
Meant, gmail of course.
Great post! Very relevant as I’m a bit of a perfectionist. And today only was reading about Agile and the importance of saying ‘Done’. I like the idea of selecting the key features and concentrating 80% time on them. Will try that next.
its really good thinking, alaways we forget when we stop , perfect go on……