Stop trying to built what already exists. Start building what sets you apart.
You don’t get credit for building everything yourself, but you do get punished when your software fails. So why are you still building the generic parts? Why do we fall for the trap of thinking we know it better?
Building software isn’t about the mechanics—it’s about the market. If you spend time coding and never ship the thing that actually sells, you lose.
If you want to build the right software, you need to stop building generic software. You need to start building the kind that delivers value. That means: You need to maximize work not done.
Maximize work not done is a key Agile principle. But in my early career, I struggled with it. Especially as a designer, it felt like a creative constraint. I brought new ideas and bold concepts.
The principle felt like a rejection. A refusal of change. So, I fought it. I tried to out-argue it with better ideas. But, like many things in life, you grow. You gain experience. And eventually, you see what matters.
I learned that less really is more. The real skill is in reducing scope. When speed and quality are nonnegotiable, scope is your only lever. You can’t always change budget or time. But you can choose what not to do.
Maximizing work not done isn’t about lack of ambition. It’s about clarity. You focus on what really matters—your domain-specific edge. The secure data pipelines. The patented algorithms. The features that make your software yours—not just software.
As a father, I have to say no all the time. I try to do it through important life skills—like delayed gratification.
If my kids can resist the urge for an instant reward, they gain self-control. They learn to wait, to think, and to choose the path that pays off in the long run. It’s not easy—but it’s worth it.
Software teams need that same skill.
There are always exciting ideas, shiny objects and hyped-up trends. But not everything needs to be solved right now. Some problems are better parked. Some ideas need more investigation. And some features? They should never be built at all.
We need to get better at saying “not now.” Because when you build now, you’re not just spending effort—you’re spending future capacity. You’re creating something that has to be supported, maintained, debugged—and eventually replaced.
Instead, focus your energy where it pays off long-term:
Everything you build yourself, you have to maintain. I learned that the hard way.
For one product, we went through three—maybe four—rounds of charting implementations. Every time, we thought it would be better. More powerful. More tailored. And every time, we ended up over-customizing.
It cost us. Extra effort. Bug fixing. Upgrade issues. Technical debt.
Bottom line: We spent way too many resources building something generic.
It wasn’t domain-specific. It didn’t make our product meaningfully better. And it definitely didn’t win us more deals.
These are the features that make you think: Not again. Not again a feature that belongs in a toolkit. Not again budget wasted on generic software. Not again delaying time to market for a “better idea.”
Yes, you need high-quality software from the start. But you don’t need to build it all yourself. Buy the generic. Build the difference.
Build what’s domain-specific. What makes your product yours.
That’s why toolkits exist. That’s why Progress exists. They help you ship the generic stuff fast—login screens, tables, filters, inputs, charts.
Accept that off-the-shelf solutions have limits. But they help you get to market faster. You’ll learn and earn faster—which enables your competitive edge. Use proven systems and toolkits that have already solved the boring stuff. Then spend your energy on what matters most to your users.
Stop trying to built what already exists. Start building what sets you apart.
Saying no isn’t always easy. But it’s a skill you need to build great software.
Say no more often: To scope creep. To building what’s already been built. To shiny objects that don’t serve your users.
Knowing what not to do is what keeps teams focused—and fast.
Say “no” more. Maximize work not done.
Learn how Progress can help you get started: Check out the Telerik DevCraft toolkit. It comes with a 30-day free trial.
Teon Beijl is a business designer and founder of Gears & Ratio, with over a decade of experience in enterprise software for the oil and gas industry. Formerly Global Design Lead for reservoir modeling, remote operations and optimization software at Baker Hughes, he now helps organizations deliver high-quality user experiences for industrial products through knowledge sharing, design leadership and implementing scalable design systems. Connect with Teon on LinkedIn or Substack.