GoKawiilEssay Argues Software Industry Needs a Name for Bad 'Improvements'
A commentary piece introduces the German word Verschlimmbesserung—an attempted fix that makes things worse—to describe common SaaS updates that break workflows or move UI elements without real benefit. The author traces this to management incentive structures, citing Eliyahu Goldratt's idea that flawed metrics produce flawed behavior, arguing teams ship unnecessary changes because release frequency, not actual improvement, is what gets measured and rewarded.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
This critique speaks to a broader tension in product development between visible activity (shipping releases) and actual user value, a mismatch that erodes trust and productivity across the software industry. It suggests that stability and restraint should be treated as legitimate engineering achievements rather than signs of stagnation.
- The word Verschlimmbesserung describes 'improvements' that actually harm the product.
- Poor incentive metrics that reward shipping frequency can drive unnecessary, harmful updates.
- Stability and knowing when not to ship should be valued as engineering disciplines.
The Goal" by Eliyahu M. Goldratt — The article leans on Goldratt's famous line about measurement driving behaviour, and this is the business novel where those ideas come from. It's a fast, story-driven read on bottlenecks, throughput, and why the wrong metric quietly wrecks good teams, perfect if you're rethinking how your engineering org is incentivised.
See The Goal" by Eliyahu M. Goldratt on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: geekyschmidt.com — Nick Schmidt, 2026-08-28
Published there as: “Verschlimmbesserung: The Word Your Software Updates Need”
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