Addition by subtraction

As a developer or a user, you’ve likely experienced feature creep. In brief terms, this occurs by adding more and more features which in turn causes complexity. It makes it difficult to continue development and turns customers into ex-customers.

It is unfortunately too easy to add new features. Product managers and developers expect to ship something at regular intervals. Sales and marketing want to tout something new. There is this belief that “new” is revenue generating. That iterative improvements to what exists should not be a priority.

On top of this, it is difficult to remove an underperforming or otherwise useless feature. It can sit and rot in the corner, but don’t you dare kill it. The thinking goes that if it made it into production it must have been a great idea at one time. And since it already exists, why remove it? Usually someone still thinks it has value. One day someone will finally want it despite evidence to the contrary.

Seeing this too often, I’m of the opinion that it should be harder to add a feature than it is to kill one. Complexity happens on its own and we should push back against it at every opportunity. Take a look at what you’re working on and see if there isn’t something you could take away. Your customers will thank you for it. And your future self will as well.