Driving engineers to an arbitrary date is a value destroying mistake

Critical analysis of how arbitrary deadlines destroy value in software development. Date pressure causes engineers to focus on delivering 'Something™ by the Date™' instead of creating valuable software, leading to 'chaos and features that nobody really wants or needs.' Specific impacts include poor error handling, ignored intermittent issues, and declining code quality as developers cut corners. The alternative: run 'many, much cheaper Value Attempts in parallel' through smaller experiments like testing existing apps, prototyping in multiple frameworks, creating mockups for user feedback, and gauging interest through email signups. The philosophy is 'accelerated learning in parallel' - discovering customer needs through frequent, low-cost experiments rather than rigid date-driven development. As the article notes, 'valuable software is discovered by developing expertise, learning from voices of dissent, and taking the time to discover better ways to fulfill your customer's needs.'