Do I fix that stubborn bug everyone’s complaining about, or do I roll out a shiny new feature that’ll get the stakeholders excited? It’s like deciding whether to wash the dishes or buy more plates.

Fixing Bugs: The Roommate You Can’t Ignore

Bugs are like that roommate who leaves dirty dishes everywhere. Sure, you can ignore them for a while, but eventually, you’re stepping over piles of problems. When a bug is driving users up the wall or, worse, crashing the app, it’s time to clean up, because nothing kills your product’s vibe faster than a crashing app.

Shiny Features: Ooo, Something New!

Then there’s the allure of new features. Everyone loves something shiny, right? Stakeholders are over the moon, and marketing is already planning the launch party. New features are exciting and make your product look fresh, but only if your users aren’t battling bugs just to use the basic stuff.

So how do I choose? Simple: I prioritize like a teen-age girl who is deciding between two dresses, which dress flaunts the curves better. If a bug affects a ton of users or threatens to torch the whole experience, I dive in. If a feature will genuinely keep users happy (or stop them from leaving for a competitor), I’ll make it happen.

Mastering the Art of “No”

And then, of course, I get to explain this to the stakeholders. Because sometimes, “We should fix this bug first” isn’t what they want to hear. But hey, that’s part of the fun. Smile, nod, and occasionally throw in the words “customer satisfaction” and “long-term strategy.”

In the end, product management is all about balance. Some days it’s fixing bugs, other days it’s rolling out new features, both while keeping the product (and my sanity) intact.