The Hidden Trap in Engineering: Solving Problems That Don't Matter

We've all been there: hours spent wrestling with a thorny technical challenge, only to realize later that the constraint we obsessed over was irrelevant. This isn't just a personal frustration—it's a systemic inefficiency plaguing engineering teams, from startups to giants like SpaceX. In fact, SpaceX codified the solution in its engineering algorithm, emphasizing that deleting or modifying nonsensical requirements is step one toward smarter development. As Jason Thorsness notes in his analysis, this mindset shift isn't about cutting corners—it's about cutting the cruft that derails progress.

SpaceX's Blueprint: Slash Constraints, Not Creativity

SpaceX's approach starts with a radical idea: many design constraints simply don't make sense. These could be:
- Overly ambitious demands, like architecting for a billion users prematurely.
- Poor technical fits, such as forcing a database to handle email notifications.
- Impossible asks, like expecting zero-latency updates.

"With good, iterative communication between customers, sales, product managers, and engineers, it’s possible to delete or modify these sort of requirements," Thorsness explains. This prevents teams from pouring energy into solving the wrong problems—a common pitfall in software where early over-engineering spawns tech debt.

The second pillar targets internal constraints: the hidden complexities that emerge from our own systems. For instance:
- Adding a log file? Now you need disk management, rotation, and monitoring.
- Shipping a client component? That mandates an update mechanism.
- Supporting multiple languages? Welcome to tangled build processes and CVE headaches.

# Example: A simple logging feature snowballs into infrastructure burdens
import logging

# Basic log setup
logging.basicConfig(filename='app.log', level=logging.INFO)
logging.info('Event occurred')

# Now consider added needs: disk space alerts, rotation scripts, cloud storage sync...

Eliminating these self-imposed burdens isn't a one-time cleanup—it's an ongoing discipline. As systems mature, managing internal complexity can consume 70% of development resources, turning innovation into maintenance drudgery. Revisiting constraints iteratively, as new insights emerge, keeps teams agile and focused on value.

Why This Matters: Beyond Faster Fixes to Fundamental Shifts

For developers, this isn't just a productivity hack—it reshapes engineering culture. Constraint-solving is the exhilarating core of our work, but real-world problems aren't puzzles with fixed rules. The shortest path often involves redefining the problem itself. By embracing SpaceX's algorithm, teams can reduce cognitive load, accelerate delivery, and redirect talent toward transformative work rather than derivative firefighting. So next time you're stuck, pause and ask: What constraint can I delete? The answer might unlock your breakthrough.

Source: Inspired by Jason Thorsness' insights at jasonthorsness.com.