Ship It! - 5.17 Features Keep Creeping In

When someone requests a new feature, look at the tasks your team is currently implementing. Is there time to implement the new feature before the next delivery? Will the new feature work with the already-scheduled features? Will it even make sense in the context of the planned product?If the answer to these questions is “yes,” then by all means add the feature to The List. Decide how important it is compared to the other features, and assign it a priority and a developer to implement it.However, if the answer to one or more of these questions is “no,” then don’t add the feature, regardless of the pressure you get from the requester. Instead, gently but firmly use The List to explain why you won’t implement the feature.