My friend Maggie works as a product manager for a fancy company you likely have heard of. She is in charge of building software tools that help the people at that company do their jobs better.
As is the case when building any new thing, there are, inevitably, problems with the tools she and her team build. And, as with all things, there will never be enough time, budget, or hands to fix every problem.
As the product manager, she is responsible for deciding which problems to let lie, and which problems to fix.
Obviously, anything that affects the critical uses of the product gets fixed. Needs are easy: they must be met, so you do everything you can to meet them.
After that, the list becomes subjective. Wants are tricky.
This is where her brilliance asserts itself: While there will always be an infinite list of broken things and desired improvements, she immediately puts annoying issues at the top of the “fix” list.
Why is this brilliant? Because she understands that software is more than lines of code; it is, beyond all else, a tool for human beings to use. Every user has a relationship with that software and feelings toward it. And if she wants to make a product that people use, she knows it will be much easier if it is also a product that people like.
We humans come hard-wired with a negativity bias. Something may do everything we need it to do, but if it is annoying to use, that annoyance will be our takeaway.
So, when you are trying to decide what on the infinite list of malfunctions and desired upgrades to deal with in your own life or work, start with the critical things, obviously, but then start taking out the annoyances. You might be surprised at how much it helps.