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Make it work, make it right, make it fast

·2 mins
Table of Contents

There are 3 phrases in software project developement.

  1. Make it work.
  2. Make it right.
  3. Make it fast.

Each phrase have their own importance that can not be skipped or ignored. And following the exact sequence is important.

Make it work #

  • Values
    • From idea to actual prototype.
  • Benefits
    • It is easier to discuss potential improvement on prototype then abstract ideas.

Make it right #

  • Values
    • What does your customer want? Are you solving their problem? Are you solving them in the right way?
  • Benefits
    • Make sure we are on the right track as early as possible so we can reduce the cost of failure.

Make it fast #

  • Values
    • Lower cost, faster response, better user experience.

Common pitfalls #

  • Focusing on making it right when we did not event make it work: Spending too much time discussing what’s right and what’s wrong when we didn’t even ship the first prototype yet. We should ship the first workable prototype as soon as possible and let the customer decide what’s right and what’s wrong.

  • Focusing on making it fast when we did not make it work or make it right: Focusing on software engineering or over optimization at the early stage of software development is a wast of effort. Software engineering slow us down. Only when your project is at scale that it is worth the trade-off. When we are at the “make it work” and “make it right” phrase, low cost, fast developement, frequent iteration is what we should be aiming for.