The Illusion of Progress
In software projects, progress often looks deceptively good on paper. Features are “90% complete.” Systems “mostly work.” Releases are shipped with the understanding that a few things will be cleaned up later.
This state of being almost done feels efficient. It creates momentum, satisfies deadlines, and gives the impression that teams are moving fast. But in practice, “almost done” software often costs more than clearly unfinished software, because unfinished work is visible and temporary, while “almost done” work quietly taxes everything that comes after it.
What “Almost Done” Really Means
“Almost done” rarely means broken. It usually means functional, but fragile.
It often includes incomplete edge cases, deferred technical debt, temporary workarounds, missing automation, or undocumented behavior. In effect, the system is built for the happy path — it works as long as it’s used exactly as the original team expects and nothing unexpected happens.
These decisions are rarely reckless. They’re made under pressure: tight timelines, shifting priorities, budget constraints, or the belief that finishing later will be easier than finishing now.
The Accumulation Effect: When Small Gaps Become Big Problems
One small shortcut doesn’t sink a system. But shortcuts compound.
Each workaround becomes something future work must navigate around. Each “we’ll fix it later” becomes an assumption embedded in the codebase. Over time, teams stop noticing the friction because they’ve adapted to it.
This is how “almost done” software turns into a hidden tax, paid every time someone touches the system.
The Real Cost #1: Slower Velocity
Ironically, “almost done” software slows teams down.
New engineers take longer to onboard. Simple changes require extensive testing. Engineers hesitate because they’re unsure what might break. What should be a small update turns into a multi-day effort.
Teams don’t slow down because they lack talent. They slow down because the system fights them.
Velocity isn’t just about how fast code is written, it’s about how safely and confidently it can be changed.
The Real Cost #2: Eroded Trust
The cost extends beyond engineering.
Product teams lose confidence in estimates. Operations teams prepare for issues instead of improvements. Leadership hears “it should be easy” followed by “it’s more complicated than we thought.”
Customers experience inconsistent behavior, features that work sometimes, performance that varies, fixes that introduce new problems.
Trust erodes quietly, long before anyone calls the project a failure.
The Real Cost #3: Decision Paralysis
Fragile software changes how organizations make decisions.
When teams aren’t confident in the system, they hesitate to modify it. Leaders delay initiatives because the risk feels too high. Innovation slows, not because ideas are lacking, but because the software can’t support change safely.
At that point, software stops enabling the business and starts constraining it.
Why Teams Fall Into the “Almost Done” Trap
This isn’t about poor discipline or bad intentions.
Teams fall into this trap because:
- Timelines reward visible progress
- Requirements evolve midstream
- Budgets prioritize delivery over durability
- Finishing well is harder to quantify than shipping fast
This is a system problem, not a people problem. Most teams are doing the best they can within the incentives they’re given.
What “Done” Should Actually Mean
“Done” doesn’t mean perfect. It means dependable.
Truly done software:
- Works reliably in real-world conditions
- Handles known edge cases
- Is observable and supportable
- Can be safely changed
- Is understandable by someone new to the team
This isn’t engineering perfectionism. It’s a business definition of done, one that prioritizes long-term velocity and trust over short-term optics.
The IQ Inc. Perspective
At IQ Inc., we’ve seen this pattern across industries and project sizes. Teams rarely fail because they can’t build software. They struggle because they’re asked to move fast without the space to finish well.
What we’ve learned over decades of work is simple: moving fast today isn’t the same as sustaining speed over time. Finishing well is often what makes teams faster overall, even if it requires slowing down briefly.
Almost Done Is an Opportunity
“Almost done” software isn’t a failure, it’s a signal.
It tells you where friction lives, where trust has thinned, and where small investments could unlock outsized gains. Most organizations already have the talent and ideas they need. What they’re missing is the confidence that their systems will support the next change instead of resisting it.
Teams that take the time to clearly define what “done” means, and give themselves permission to reach it, don’t just reduce risk. They move faster with fewer surprises, make decisions with more confidence, and create software that truly enables the business.
Finishing well isn’t about slowing down. It’s about building systems that let you move forward without hesitation.
And that’s a choice every organization can make.
Connect with us at https://iq-inc.com/connect-with-us/ or info@iq-inc.com to start the conversation.
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