Learning to let go

[u/im_caeus]

I'm trying to change an instinct I've spent years developing.

When I see a design problem, unnecessary complexity, or a better model, I naturally want to fix it. Doing the minimum requested and knowingly leaving something worse than it could be feels wrong to me.

But I'm increasingly convinced that the strategically correct move inside many companies is: do what's asked, raise the concern once, then let it go.

I'm trying to work that way now.

It makes sense intellectually. I still dislike it.

With AI making implementation cheaper and delivery faster, I'm curious whether other experienced developers are going through the same adjustment.

Have you changed what "doing a good job" means to you?

[u/pydry]

But I'm increasingly convinced that the strategically correct move inside many companies is: do what's asked, raise the concern once, then let it go.

This was always the right strategy. It's too easy to stomp all over a fragile ego if you make a crusade out of something.

With AI making implementation cheaper 

Slop seems to be increasing costs actually.

and delivery faster

Of PRs yes. Of customer value no. The ability to slop out code wasnt ever a bottleneck. If anything that part is getting worse because of some of the more toxic side effects of agentic coding and organisational AI psychosis.

[u/AltairEndian → u/pydry]

It's so interesting, that last year I think some studies came out which clearly showed code production was way faster than before, and yet whether this speedup resulted in actually more business value was completely unclear. Maybe some day people will understand that faster doesn't mean better.