As developers, we like to build things. When a product manager or a user asks for a feature, our natural response is “Sure, I can do that in two days.”
But every “Yes” is a commitment to maintain that code forever.
The Feature Creep Trap
The most successful products aren’t the ones with the most features; they’re the ones with the right features. Every button you add to a UI makes every other button slightly less important. Every branch in your code makes the next bug slightly harder to find.
Why “No” is Hard
It feels like you’re being unhelpful. It feels like you’re being “the blocker.” But in reality, saying “No” is how you protect the product’s quality and the team’s velocity.
The “Not Now” Alternative
Instead of a flat “No,” I try to use:
- “What problem are we trying to solve with this?” (Often, there’s a simpler way).
- “How does this align with our goals for this quarter?”
- “We can do this, but which of these other three features should we drop to make room?”
Build Less, Better
Next time you’re asked for a minor tweak that “won’t take long,” ask yourself: “Will this still be valuable in a year? Or is it just noise?”
Be a builder, but also be a curator. Your codebase will thank you.