You're facing a software crisis. How do you decide between fixing critical bugs and developing new features?
In the throes of a software crisis, prioritizing tasks is key to survival. Here's how to strike the balance:
- Evaluate user impact. Assess which bugs affect the most users or critical processes and address them first.
- Consider business goals. Align bug fixes or features with short-term and long-term objectives.
- Weigh timelines and resources. Determine which tasks are feasible given your current constraints.
How do you decide on fixing bugs versus pushing new features? Share your strategies.
You're facing a software crisis. How do you decide between fixing critical bugs and developing new features?
In the throes of a software crisis, prioritizing tasks is key to survival. Here's how to strike the balance:
- Evaluate user impact. Assess which bugs affect the most users or critical processes and address them first.
- Consider business goals. Align bug fixes or features with short-term and long-term objectives.
- Weigh timelines and resources. Determine which tasks are feasible given your current constraints.
How do you decide on fixing bugs versus pushing new features? Share your strategies.
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🔍💡In a software development crisis, it’s important to prioritize. I start by assessing the impact on users — fixing bugs that affect the most users or critical processes. Then I align bug fixes or feature additions with business goals to achieve both short-term and long-term results. And of course, I assess the timeline and available resources to understand what tasks are feasible given current constraints. How do you decide whether to fix bugs or add features? Share your strategies!
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So I currently encountered with one such software issue where my software didn’t show any cloud models. After seeking in to the problem found out it was the software company’s server which had bug in the end. Hence I would like to convey before panicking or taking any kind of judgement with the problem first we should always try to figure out what the cause actually and how can it be resolved. Also we should always learn from all such issues for future perspective.
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One may think that if there is a bug, what is the purpose of having new features, at the end users will end up having complains. This is not always true. There is no chance to have a standart decision. It depends on the severity and impact of the bugs in the product vs the importance and expectations from the new feature. So, if there is no bug impacting a meaningful amount of users or generating business critical issues, features may get some priority over bugs.
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You can define both by adding the newer features with a roll out incorporating the bugs fixes. However, bug fixes, especially in security need to be addressed more urgently. You could address both if you have the diversified correct team members in place. Multitasking is great, however as I’m finding out, when a resource is overwhelmed, you lose productivity.
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In a software crisis, prioritization is key. First, assess the impact of critical bugs—if they compromise security, core functionality, or user experience, they take precedence. Addressing stability ensures a reliable foundation for future growth. At the same time, evaluate new features based on their strategic value, urgency, and customer demand. If a feature unlocks significant opportunities or mitigates risks, it may warrant parallel development. Data-driven insights, user feedback, and business objectives should guide the decision. Striking the right balance—stabilizing the system while maintaining innovation—ensures long-term success without sacrificing trust or momentum.
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