Subtraction builds better software than addition
As product managers, we often fall into the trap of adding more features to help our users in the long term. But the result: Bulky, clumsy, and complex software. But isn’t subtracting features going to affect the existing users? How do we balance? Subtracting features is not about eliminating features but limiting the choices that users have.
Additive ideas come to mind quickly and easily, but subtractive ideas require more cognitive effort. Because people are often moving fast and working with the first ideas that come to mind, they end up accepting additive solutions without considering subtraction at all.
Before adding a feature, we must be thinking about how we are going to integrate our new idea with the existing solutions and how simple a particular feature can be built without adding a new tab or without making the user gothrough a decision paralysis. Over the period of time, we add complexities to the copywriting in webpages on what does the product do & how it can make the customer succeed.
But why don't we see companies removing features more often?
Product manager roles are all about writing new specs, building features, and discovering new user motivations. We tend to be on additive/explore mode in order to help our users. Some of the reasons why we don’t see companies removing features are
Removing a feature could be technically hard. It’s not like deleting the code which contains the feature because there could be many dependencies associated.
Users may be used to the feature
Simplifying takes more time and effort
If you’re removing any particular feature, you need to be making sure the end users are still be able to achieve their end goals without much effort.
Subtraction as a ‘Product culture’
When you build a team, you’ve to make the right incentive structure for the product teams. There are both implicit and explicit motivations for product managers. Some of the implicit motivations are solving for customers, building useful products which could help the company in longer run. Some of the explicit goals are getting high salary, getting appraisals from the executive team/managers and so on. If we don’t add subtraction to our product culture, this is what happens.
Imagine being the one who put out the fire when it was too small. Feeling pity right? So that’s why org needs a proper incentive structure and communication which could make both the implicit and explicit goals of product managers aligned to the org goals. Keep reminding your team that subtraction is an option. It helps!
Note: This shouldn’t restrict you from building moats