Most software is built with a 3-month horizon.
Just make it work for the launch.
Ship fast. Iterate later. MVP mentality.
But here's the truth: you'll live with this code for 3-5 years.
And every shortcut you take in month 3 becomes technical debt in year 2.
The Decisions That Haunt You
The choices that save a week now cost months later:
→ Skipping tests because "we'll add them later" (you won't) → Hardcoding values because "it's just for now" (it's not) → Choosing trendy frameworks over stable, proven ones → Ignoring documentation because "the code explains itself" (it doesn't) → Taking shortcuts on architecture because "we can refactor when we scale" (scaling is when you least have time to refactor)
Every one of these decisions compounds.
By year 2, you're not building features. You're managing chaos.
Build for the Team in Year 3
The team that launches your software in month 3 is not the team that maintains it in year 3.
People leave. Priorities shift. Knowledge evaporates.
So build for the future team:
→ Write code that's obvious, not clever → Document the why, not just the what → Use standard patterns that any competent developer can understand → Build automated tests so changes don't break things → Create deployment processes that don't require tribal knowledge
Build for maintainability, not just velocity.
The 3-Year Question
Before making any technical decision, ask:
"Will the team in year 3 thank me or curse me for this?"
If the answer is "curse," don't do it.
No matter how much time it saves today.
What's one technical decision you regret from a past project?
#SoftwareDevelopment #TechnicalDebt #EngineeringLeadership #SoftwareArchitecture #CodeQuality
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Philip Rehberger Founder, ScopeForged scopeforged.com
