"80% of businesses believe they provide 'superior' service. However, only 8% of customers agree that they're receiving it.

As developers, we often think that building new features and writing more code is always beneficial. But is that really the case?

At first glance, it seems logical that more features mean solving more problems and meeting more needs for our end users. However, upon closer examination, it might be the opposite. Let me explain how this is possible.

From the perspective of project management and UI/UX, this phenomenon is known as 'feature creep.'

This term refers to the continuous expansion or addition of new features to a product beyond its original scope. It's one of the most common causes of cost and schedule overruns.

This typically occurs due to what is known as 'the internal audience problem.' This is when designers and developers assume they know what's best for the customer, leading them to continually add features. Often, they are mistaken.

This can cause the project to exceed its budget, and in some cases, it may result in unintended performance or usability issues.

Why does this happen? Because adding features increases complexity, and complexity comes with costs.

For instance, a study by Philips Electronics revealed that at least half of the returned products were actually functioning correctly. Consumers simply couldn't figure out how to use them.

To avoid this pitfall, here are four steps you can implement:

1. Educate your team about this trap. Features and additions typically come in small increments, making it easy to fall into this snare.
2. Ensure that new features are linked to customers' needs and are not added based solely on convenience or personal opinion.
3. When updating, consider not only what can be added but also what can be removed.
4. It's crucial to have a project milestone to formally freeze the product specifications, preventing schedule and budget overruns.

And lastly, always remember this quote: '80% of businesses believe they provide ‘superior’ service. But only 8% of customers say they’re getting it!'"

The Feature That Breaks The Project's Back

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