Showerthought: Weighing a fast job against a right one years back

I was running late on a setup and thought about just hooking things up without the usual checks. It didn't sit right with me (you know, that gut feeling), since a bad connection can cause real problems down the line. What's your take on dealing with time pressure versus doing a proper install?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesley_mitchell275h ago

Actually cutting corners can be the smart move sometimes. If a client is breathing down your neck for a basic demo, a quick and dirty setup that gets them off your back is worth it. You can always circle back later for the permanent fix when they're not hovering. The real world doesn't always reward perfect work, just work that solves the immediate problem.

hannah_burns13h ago

Wait you can actually circle back later? Every time @wesley_mitchell27 I've tried that "quick fix" it becomes the permanent system because the client thinks it's done. Then six months later the duct tape holding the whole thing together fails spectacularly. That demo code you slapped together for the meeting? Now it's in production and you're getting 3 AM calls because it crashes if someone looks at it wrong lol. The temporary fix always becomes the forever problem.

simon_knight4245m ago

But how often does that "circle back later" actually happen when new fires keep popping up? The rework always takes three times longer than doing it right the first time, so you're just borrowing time at high interest. It feels like we're all just kicking cans down the road until the road is blocked.