From my first big project, I learned deadlines hurt more than help

Setting hard deadlines when you're new just adds stress without improving your code.

4 comments

4 Comments

Wait seriously? Deadlines are the only thing that got my first project finished at all. Without that pressure I'd still be tweaking code forever.

caleb_fisher441mo ago

Huh, I actually had the opposite happen. My first big project had a hard deadline and the code I rushed to finish was full of bugs and bad choices. Felt like I built on a shaky foundation and had to go back and fix everything later anyway. For me, that pressure just meant shipping something broken.

anderson.paul1mo ago

Totally agree with you @finleys37, that outside pressure is key. It forces you to call something "good enough" and ship it. Honestly, a project is never really finished, you just run out of time. That first version you get out the door because of a deadline is what lets you learn and move on to the next thing.

the_evan1mo ago

But does that pressure actually lead to better results?