If something is not broken, don’t fix it.
People tend to either leave things which are not right as they are (as long as they are not broken), or fix things which are not broken. There is no right or wrong in this case because it all depends on the timing.
If you’re running short of time such as chasing a deadline or you already have other more demanding and high priority things to do, then you should not fix things which are not broken. Because your new solution might not be 100% problem free. Adding extra problems to an existing long list of pending tasks is just going to make things worse.
However, if there is no long list of pending tasks and you have some free time, do feel free to make changes which will enhance the features or usability. It does add value to the customers.
This is a very simple concept yet many people tend to ignore it. People like to fix things even though they are not broken, and often time, it’ll only make things worse. That’s why the next time you feel like fixing that “missing word” which nobody has complain about, think twice. Will your “word” be useful or will it actually change the entire meaning of the story?
LOL!!
What happens if the customer insists on fixing something which is not broken?
Anyway, apologies for the rushed project but our customer somehow can’t make up his mind. Not that we want to fix things which are not broken. Why would we want to waste such time and risk creating more problems to an existing good system?
Unless… It’s a way to make more $$$ through support.
Angie Tans last blog post..Talking Wood
Angie Tan
18 Dec 08 at 9:29 am
A more proactive approach should be,
“If something is not broken, improvise it”
Lays
18 Dec 08 at 10:30 am
Prevent better than fixing … I would agree in somewhere but still have to assess the whole before doing the fixing :p
TZs last blog post..Back on dance floor
TZ
18 Dec 08 at 2:56 pm
@ Angie
If the client demands it, we can try to convince them not to do it. But if we can’t, then we’ll just have to do whatever they want because it is what pays us in the end.
Nope, I’m not mentioning about the project we’re doing. I’m mentioning things in general. IT folks tend to have the urge to fix something which are not broken even though the project has a very short timeline.
@ Lays
Something is broken, improvise it = correct, provided you have enough time to do it and you are sure you will not screw the existing features up.
No point making things worse. If you’re extremely sure you have the time, then it’s good to improvise it.
@ TZ
Of course prevention is better than cure, but in this context, it’s about what has already been completed. Will you fix something which is not broken when you have other more important things to do?
Alvin Lim
18 Dec 08 at 8:32 pm
“People like to fix things even though they are not broken…”
Happens all the time when I send my car in for service. They call it value-added service. LOL.
Damien Tan
19 Dec 08 at 8:17 am
@ Damien
My friend’s new car got scratched when he sent the car for its first service. 
Good what, as long as they don’t try to make things worse.
Alvin Lim
19 Dec 08 at 8:29 am
Damien, this is a good one to use the car service as example. They fix it for a different purpose not even for preventing the future broken. I even have an experience that they actually broke it themselves (I saw it!!!!) and fix it by themselves. So funny…
ChamDog
21 Dec 08 at 3:57 pm
@ ChampDog
Hopefully that is not your car. =_= My only experience was, i saw 8 Honda mechanics surrounded one car and were discussing what to do. I think it’s either the problem was too serious or they screwed up.
Alvin Lim
21 Dec 08 at 8:06 pm