Ask First, Code Later: The single, most important question

Question project requirements rather than blindly implementing them. By asking "why" and engaging in early discussions, developers can find the true reasons behind requests

You just received the following requirements:

Update the product titles on our online marketplace. Instead of displaying the titles on two lines, show them in one. If the title is too long, use an ellipsis (…) at the end

You can go ahead and implement this, or you can first try to understand the reasoning behind this change.

🔑 The key question

Who defines requirements?

Often, you’ll find that these requirements come from a single person and haven’t been peer-reviewed.

When you receive the requirement, ask “so that?”

PM: We want to get the title into a single line

Me: So that?

PM: So that we can reduce the height of each product on the page, optimize screen real estate, and show more products within the client device’s viewport.

💬 Start the discussion

The earlier you identify a potential problem, the cheaper it is to fix it.

Having conversations during the requirement phase helps you address corner cases.

Someone: Instead of changing the title, why don’…