Good enough (off topic)

“Move fast and break things” is a Facebook motto that I never really liked as an ethics and compliance officer (or as a person).

But Facebook has another motto that I like: “Done is better than perfect.”

Here is what it looks like:

• Have an agenda for every meeting and stick with it. If additional topics of discussion pop up, schedule them for the next meeting. Don’t get off course or extend the current meeting (see yesterday’s rant).
• Have a scope for every project and determine at the outset what “done” looks like. Don’t make room for scope creep. If new ideas or features are identified, assign them to phase 2 of the project.
• Related to the previous bullet, the initial scope of any project should follow the concept of “minimal viable product” (MVP). Don’t try to please every desire of every user. You can’t.

I find it fascinating when I see White House staffers use a ruler while setting the table for a State dinner to ensure that every utensil is precisely at a certain distance from the edge of the table. I also can’t imagine what harm would be caused by a misaligned spoon.

Unlike State dinners, the work we do is in service of other people’s needs. They don’t need our work in the future, they need it now (and possibly yesterday).

So let’s scope an MVP and get it done!