But We are on the same side!

"Why can't they understand the importance of deploying the feature first, and then addressing the operational issues they've found?". In a recent conversation, a fellow SDM expressed her frustrations with her engineers. "Are we not following Agile development? Shouldn't we be focusing on launching the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and making swift iterations?" "Absolutely, your points are valid," I sympathized. "Yet, it's important to remember that our engineers are the ones who get paged in the middle of the night for these operational problems." With a sigh, I continued, "The key is to not split SDM and engineers into two sides. It's not a tug of war where one party wins and the other loses. We are, after all, working towards a common goal. We all aim to deliver value to our customers as quickly as possible. However, value also equates to providing a satisfactory user experience, which entails maintaining a fine balance between time and quality. Introducing new features and upholding operational excellence shouldn't be viewed as conflicting objectives. They're two aspects of the same principle. When we prolong release cycles, we miss out on valuable customer and operational feedback to help refine our product. Conversely, rushing out products while compromising operational excellence jeopardizes our long-term growth and sustainability. Operational excellence is an integral part of delivering results. The question then arises: Should we deploy the feature now and address operational issues later? Or should we resolve operational issues first, even if it means launching the feature two months later? Without a clear understanding of the context, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. The world we inhabit isn't merely black and white, but an infinite spectrum of colors in between. Both engineering and management play pivotal roles; it's about achieving a balance and making the right trade-offs. Balance thrives on tension. Without tension, there can be no equilibrium, much like the absence of constraints can impede the creation of art. So, instead of getting overwhelmed by the tension between managers and engineers, adopt a more comprehensive view when making decisions. And never forget, both SDE and SDM are on the same team."