Decide What Not to Optimize
Added 2026-11-02
Focus improvement effort in one place and accept roughness elsewhere.
I want to optimize a system or process (described below). Help me choose: 1) list five candidate improvements, ranked by impact and cost; 2) judge which single one yields the most; 3) explicitly list the four you are not optimizing this round and the acceptable consequence of each; 4) point out which non-choice becomes a problem in six months; 5) write one line for the doc explaining the trade-off so it is not re-litigated.
Site original
Chinese original
How to use
优化的另一半是明确「这次不优化什么」。
Try tweaking it
- Ask what evidence would overturn the judgement.
- Have it argue both sides with three reasons each.
What you should get
- A decision table: assumptions, evidence, counter-evidence
- A next action with an observable signal
Common mistakes
- Asking only "should I?" and getting equally valid answers both ways.
- Never asking for counter-examples, so you only hear support.
How to check the output
- It states what evidence would overturn the conclusion.
- Both sides are argued, with assumptions marked as such.
Where it works
- Good for: splitting a decision into assumptions, evidence and counter-cases, leaving the call to you.
- Watch out: ask what evidence would overturn the judgement, or you will only hear supporting reasons.