The "Yes, But" Syndrome

Every piece of software I’ve developed elicits the same two reactions when users see it for the first time:

First: “Wow, this is cool. We can really use this.”

Then, immediately: “Yes, but… now that I see it, what about this? Wouldn’t it be nice if…? Whatever happened to…?”

The “Yes, But” syndrome is universal. It comes from the nature of software as something intangible – until users see it, they can’t fully articulate what they need. Seeing the implementation triggers new ideas, new concerns, new requirements that weren’t visible before.

The only defence is involving users early and often, so the “but” comes before you’ve invested too much in the wrong direction.