Weekly Mix #263 - Why we need to cut things that don't work

Cutting Things That Don't Work, Productivity Tips, What to Work On & Urban Design

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Happy Monday!

So far in our 3-part mini-series about startup mistakes, we've talked about:

Expecting the first version to work well (it won't)

Expecting things to work too often

This week we'll be talking about a third issue: unwillingness to cut things that don't work.

The first version of a feature or product isn't likely to work. So we should plan for multiple iterations.

But what happens when we've iterated a couple times, and haven't achieved the results we were looking for?

Or more likely, we've seen some small results, but not the magnitude we were hoping for?

We give up on that product or feature.

But instead of completely removing it—accepting that it didn't work and banking the learnings—we let it sit.

The argument is usually "well, there are a few users who are getting value" or "it's good to be able to advertise this feature, even if it isn't fully developed."

The problem is that we are very poor at estimating the second-order effects.

That feature now has to be considered whenever something new is designed or developed. It must be maintained. It has to be documented.

It might seem like a small cost to do this, but over a long period of time, it becomes large.

Further, it gives a new path to users that is likely sub-optimal.

At worst, this results in a poor experience. Those users will never tell their friends about a product experience that is meh. And it will detract from their perception of the product and company overall too.

Clear failures are easy to cut. It's the middle-of-the-road, provides-value-for-some things that get stuck.

And it's not just startups and new product features.

How many things do you continue to do in your life that you no longer love? Because they're habits, or your "regular" routine? Which of those no longer serve you? What could you do with the extra time if you cut them from your life?

Most things won't work the first time. And many things won't work as we hoped.

We must be ruthless and cut them when they don't.

Have a great week!

Graham

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Links

📚 Book Notes: Eat That Frog! - Brian Tracy - A short, digestible list of productivity tips. I've read what feels like everything there is on productivity, but I still found this book a useful reminder of some of the most important parts.

“Every great achievement of humankind has been preceded by a long period of hard, concentrated work until the job was done.”

📖 What You Should Work On - David Perell - An excellent essay on what you should be working on (and how to choose it). Perell makes the point that most of our current society pushes us towards conventional roles, and that new company formation is falling. There are critical areas of our lives that need more innovation, and that's where our brightest minds should be focusing.

"Too many of our smartest minds are working on trivial tasks and spending their time in corporations where they feel invisible.

Looking like you’re being productive is often a better strategy for career advancement than actually being productive. That’s why extroverts without conviction, many of whom spend more time networking than executing, rise to the top of the corporate hierarchy."

🍿 Not Just Bikes - This YouTube channel is dedicated to great urban planning (and pointing out poor planning). The comparison is the Netherlands, well-known for their bike and pedestrian culture, but I find it interesting in comparing to experiences here in North America. One of the things I love most about living in Montreal is the priority they place on great public transit, bike infrastructure, and walkability.

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