● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 negative
Software Updates Often Lead to 'Verschlimmbesserung,' Making Things Worse
Key points
- Verschlimmbesserung describes updates that worsen user experience.
- Illogical metrics incentivize frequent, unhelpful updates.
- Prioritizing shipping over improvement leads to negative outcomes.
- Stability is a valuable feature in software.
The Concept of Verschlimmbesserung
The German word "Verschlimmbesserung" refers to an attempted improvement that ultimately makes a situation worse. This term is applied to software updates that, despite being intended as enhancements, disrupt user workflows, rename features, or break established functionalities, creating a negative user experience.
Misaligned Incentives in Software Development
The root cause of Verschlimmbesserung often lies in how software development teams are measured and incentivized. If metrics prioritize the frequency of releases or the introduction of new features over genuine product improvement or user satisfaction, teams will optimize for these metrics. This can lead to shipping updates that do not solve real problems or even create new ones for users.
The Value of Stability
The article suggests that stability is a feature in itself, and knowing when not to release an update is a critical engineering discipline. Constant reinvention is not always beneficial, as evidenced by older software versions that remain useful due to their consistent functionality. The focus on continuous shipping without clear user benefit can degrade the overall product experience.
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Primary sources
GitHub adityatelange/hugo-PaperModReporting from
The German term "Verschlimmbesserung," meaning an attempted improvement that worsens things, describes many software updates. This phenomenon often results from metrics that prioritize shipping new features over actual product improvement or user experience.