80% is often good enough

perfectionist comic

In IT and other things, I have noticed that companies don’t want perfection, 80% is often good enough.

I had a boss tell me this exact thing. He asked for a solution for a problem the company had and I asked him if he wanted a 100% solution and if the cost was an issue. He said he wanted an 80% solution and cost is an issue.

perfectionist comic
perfectionist comic

Most companies that I have worked with have the same theory. Many companies talk about automation but when it comes time to do it, they are happy if 80% of the work can be accomplished. Even companies that do DevOps often have groups that are excluded, so it’s not a pure 100% solution even if they claim it is. The problem is that every company has edge cases and unique environments, that don’t always give themselves to standard solutions.

Working as a consultant I have suggested solutions depending on a company’s desire for long-term productivity. It is surprising how many companies use outdated tools and mix their technology stack. I prefer an integrated approach and I always argue for what is standard and cloud-based if possible. Most companies have more technical debt than they are willing to admit to, and changing the culture is always a challenge. I must give credit however that some companies do change their culture when it is obvious that they can’t continue with the way they are currently operating.

I am willing to proactively change things in my life when I see it is time to change. This is not to brag, but rather my life experience and IT experience have shown me the folly of trying to hold onto a belief/thought that doesn’t work. Part of being an IT person is being willing to question assumptions and I have always been willing to do that. You also have to question your assumptions. When you question other’s beliefs, you have to have to be open to them questioning you.

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Most people just want to get the problem solved and don’t care about the long-term consequences. Once you accept this about people, you can come fix their problems when they occur and it doesn’t bother you.