Decisions in software should be fast and reversible; unlike science or engineering, the low cost of failure lets leaders iterate instead of over-thinking, boosting speed and innovation.
Good founders decide quickly, even if they're wrong, because the cost of a misstep in software is low. The article contrasts this with science, where a wrong hypothesis can set a field back decades, and with traditional engineering, where a single error can cause immediate physical harm. Those domains demand extreme caution, while software developers can experiment freely and roll back changes.
The author admits to personal over-thinking and uses the example of endless architecture debates to illustrate decision paralysis. By recognizing that most software decisions are not irreversible, leaders can adopt a mindset of rapid iteration, treating architecture choices like experiments that can be refined later. This approach reduces the fear of failure that often stalls progress.
Technical leaders should therefore encourage teams to ship early, gather data, and course-correct, rather than waiting for perfect certainty. Embracing low-cost failure accelerates learning, fosters innovation, and prevents the paralysis that harms productivity. The core takeaway is to prioritize decisive action and treat mistakes as cheap feedback rather than catastrophic events.
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