Every developer has to balance two concerns: 1
Every developer has to balance two concerns:
1. Be tactical - Get it done as soon as possible. Cut corners if necessary. Favor delivery over quality.
Risk: Tech debt piles up. May be slow, buggy, insecure, confusing, etc.
2. Be strategic - Consider the long-term. Refactor until it’s clear, fast, secure, etc. Look for ways to streamline the work. Favor the quality over delivery.
Risk: Missed deadlines and lack of product breadth due to “gold plating”. Heavy commitment on each new feature before users have even tried it.
Developers who focus too much on tactics need to be encouraged to slow down and consider edge cases.
Developers who focus too much on strategy need reminded to ship often and iterate based on feedback.
A good team lead understands how to balance these.