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Tell HN: The Secret To Launching Is Removing Unfinished Features

The secret to launching your start-up is removing unfinished features. It's that simple.

Many things you think you need in your first version can usually wait. That unfinished social feature? Remove it. That broken button to let users tag content? Comment it out. The extra benefit of removing those unfinished features is that users won't appreciate them if they're in the initial version. If you add those same features later, users will actually notice the features and get to share your thrill of improving your product.

( 6 comments | 19 points | on HN )
Re:Tell HN: The Secret To Launching Is Removing Unfinished F... by thirtysixred on Friday April 29, 2011 @01:24PM (#2498151)
Re:Tell HN: The Secret To Launching Is Removing Unfinished F... by hansy on Friday April 29, 2011 @12:09AM (#2496312)
So instead of saying "Social Recommendations Coming in Future!" you would just not implement that feature in the first place early on

Would you recommend, instead, to tweet or blog about upcoming features to keep user excitement up?

Re:Tell HN: The Secret To Launching Is Removing Unfinished F... by citizenkeys on Friday April 29, 2011 @12:14AM (#2496320)
It's an old sales tactic: Just don't mention what's missing. If you mention the missing features missing then all you do is draw attention to the fact those features aren't there. And if you blog or tweet about those features, then you ruin the surprise. Users like pleasant surprises. Work on the cool new features behind the scenes and unveil them Steve Jobs style when they're polished and ready.
Re:Tell HN: The Secret To Launching Is Removing Unfinished F... by abbasmehdi on Friday April 29, 2011 @03:10AM (#2496616)
Also, you can communicate your upcoming features with the press under embargo, they will be happy to break the story exactly at the date and time you specify, everybody loves to brake a story.
Re:Tell HN: The Secret To Launching Is Removing Unfinished F... by nametoremember on Friday April 29, 2011 @05:34AM (#2496846)
I wouldn't call this "The" Secret but yeah, it makes sense.
Re:Tell HN: The Secret To Launching Is Removing Unfinished F... by citizenkeys on Friday April 29, 2011 @06:49PM (#2499300)
It's secret in that good artists know what to put in, while great artists know what to leave out.