PM: “How long is developing this feature going to take?”
Me: “Due to all the refactoring that’s needed --which I’ve been repeatedly bringing up for two years – just to implement it, it’s going to take about 6 months.”
PM: “Is there any way you can have it ready for the release in two weeks?”
Me: “No.”
PM: Proceeds to tell everyone that it will be ready for the release in two weeks.
PM: “How long is developing this feature going to take?”
Me: “Due to all the refactoring that’s needed --which I’ve been repeatedly bringing up for two years – just to implement it, it’s going to take about 6 months.”
PM: “Is there any way you can have it ready for the release in two weeks?”
Me: “No.”
PM: Proceeds to tell everyone that it will be ready for the release in two weeks.
Never let that accumulate for that long. Continuously do small refactors to improve the structure.
Always spend at least 20% of the time on stuff you know is necessary, but will never be prioritized by marketing heads.
Don’t worry, it’s not like crucial decisions such as whether or not you get to keep your job depend on the outcome…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xRqXYsksFg