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Slippery Slopes
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Small decisions that commit you to directions you'll regret.
The Idea
A slippery slope is a decision that looks small in the moment but makes the next decision harder, and the next harder still. One custom feature for a big customer becomes ten. One hack becomes architecture.
Why It Matters
- The cost of a slope isn't the first step — it's the accumulated slide.
- By the time you notice, you're far from where you started.
- Reversing requires unwinding everything built on top.
How to Spot One
- "Just this once" that keeps recurring.
- Decisions that make future options narrower.
- Small yeses that imply future yeses.
How to Apply
- When saying yes to something exceptional, name the slope.
- Write down the boundary: "We'll do this for X but never for Y."
- Revisit the boundary. If it's breached, acknowledge the slide.
Examples
- Accepting one enterprise custom integration → becoming a consultancy.
- Shipping one untested fix to prod → normalising no tests.
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