Perfectionism: Knowing when to stop

As engineers, we often strive for perfection. Yet, there are instances where perfection is not required. Often referred to as “over-engineering”, sometimes achieving a state of “good enough” suffices. Striving for perfection in one specific realm or undertaking can divert resources from other equally deserving areas. A good example of this is showcased in the “Trash of the Titans” episode of The Simpsons, where Homer Simpson runs for the role of Springfield Sanitation Commissioner by pledging extravagant services, such as round-the-clock garbage collection. On the surface, this might appear to be a perfect solution to the garbage problem, but the actual outcome, as one can imagine, results in disaster for both Springfield and for Homer.

As engineers, the relentless pursuit of excellence in solving complex problems often leads to a myopic focus that blinds us to the broader business context. Our natural inclination to tinker and experiment can further complicate matters, as it becomes a challenge to know when to stop. We could zoom past the point of “good enough” without even noticing.

To illustrate this point, I’ll share a recent personal experience. I needed to enhance the Wi-Fi network in my home. My goal was to achieve both improved speed and broader coverage. After careful consideration, I decided to simply upgrade my Eero system to the latest model. It is a fine consumer based Wi-Fi system. Given the unique layout and characteristics of our house, I had to set up two separate Wi-Fi networks to adequately cover different areas of the premises. This arrangement, while effective, does require the user to manually switch between the Wi-Fi networks when roaming around the house.

There is a more perfect solution for my needs. It is a “pro-sumer” solution from Ubiquity called UniFi. It is more expensive, more powerful, more sophisticated, more scalable and definitely meets all of my needs without having to manually switch networks while roaming. It looks very nice and I do at times wish I had refreshed my network with it instead of staying with Eero.

However, at least for now, what I have is good enough. Maybe next time.