REWORK
Narrow As You Go
· Summarized
Key takeaways
- Clear deadlines are essential to focus scope and avoid feature pile-up at the end of projects.
- Start with unique, differentiating features rather than baseline expectations to craft a distinctive product.
- Regularly review and prioritize ideas within a cycle to prevent endless idea accumulation and maintain focus.
- ‘Done is better than perfect’ applies strongly—shipping early, even if not all features are perfect, allows for continuous improvement.
- Small companies benefit from less bureaucratic decision-making, enabling faster, more context-appropriate product development.
- Acceptance of a practical, fit-for-purpose notion of 'perfection' leads to higher efficiency and better outcomes.
Summary
The Importance of Narrowing Scope as Projects Progress
This section discusses the critical need to narrow the scope of a project over time to ensure timely delivery. Jason and David emphasize the role of deadlines as a forcing function to focus efforts on finishing rather than continuously expanding ideas. They highlight the risk of 'pile-up,' where new ideas keep getting added near the end, making the completion process chaotic. The strategy recommended involves prioritizing novel features first, starting with unique, differentiating ideas rather than baseline features that are expected, to ensure a compelling product that meets specific audience needs. The concept of shipping with a core set of features—'done is better than perfect'—is central, allowing teams to ship earlier and improve iteratively.
Managing Ideas and Feature Creep in Product Development
This section deals with how to handle the constant influx of new ideas during product development. The hosts recommend a disciplined approach: capturing ideas temporarily, then awarding priority and relevance through a structured cycle (every 6-8 weeks), rather than hoarding endless lists of potential features. They advise against treating long idea lists as sacred or never-ending, advocating instead for regular cleanup and prioritization. They also emphasize that good ideas often resurface over time and don’t get lost if properly managed—'forgetting' ideas isn’t necessarily bad, as most aren’t truly critical. The focus should be on executing the most impactful ideas efficiently, rather than trying to accommodate every possible feature.
The Philosophy of ‘Perfect’ and Shipping Early
This section explores the idea that achieving perfect is less important than building a well-functioning, thoughtful product efficiently. Jason and David discuss how small companies inherently have advantages because they are less burdened by bureaucratic constraints and stakeholder demands. They advocate for targeting a 'fit for purpose' notion of perfection—delivering a product that is 'perfect' for its specific context and user base. They argue that striving for conventional perfection (all edge cases considered, every detail refined) often leads to delays and inflated scope. Instead, they support shipping early with a minimal but high-quality set of features, then iterating continuously based on real user feedback and internal assessments.
Sponsors
- 37signals · Rework is a production of 37signals. You can find show notes and transcripts on our website at 37signals.com/podcast. Full video episodes are available on YouTube and Twitter.
Show notes
In their book, It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson stress the importance of narrowing the scope as a project unfolds, emphasizing, "After the initial dust settles, the work required to finish a project should be dwindling over time, not expanding."
But navigating this challenge is not always easy.
In this week's episode of Rework, Kimberly Rhodes sits down with Jason and David to explore the challenges and benefits of narrowing focus, particularly in the context of developing a new product.
Jason and David delve into the significance of clear deadlines, effective strategies for managing a constant influx of ideas, and the importance of adhering to the principle of "done is better than perfect" so you can ship.
Check out the full video episode on YouTube
Key Takeaways:
- Why clear deadlines are crucial for honing, editing, and chiseling features to ensure a focused, timely delivery.
- How to avoid feature "pile-up" as a project progresses in order to prevent last-minute chaos and ensure a smoother path to completion.
- Start new product development with novel ideas to create a distinguishing factor for an audience seeking innovative solutions.
- Not every idea can be integrated without compromising a project's scope—be prepared to make decisions on what to include and what to postpone.
- Use the role of working memory to focus on what truly matters without being overwhelmed by an endless list of ideas.
- Resist the temptation to hoard ideas; instead, focus on a few key ideas that align with the project's goals.
- Done is better than perfect: small companies have the advantage of focusing on the perfect ratio between effort and value.
Rework is a production of 37signals. You can find show notes and transcripts on our website. Full video episodes are available on YouTube and X (formerly known as Twitter).
If you have a question for Jason or David about a better way to work and run your business, leave us a voicemail at 708-628-7850 or email, and we might answer it on a future episode.
Links and Resources:
It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work
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