[nift]

Have to agree here. I sometimes find quite a big gap between deadline setters (sales/management) and the ones who have to meet them (developers).

I find it to be a very difficult topic, as everything has to coexist: no sales, no company but no developers no product to sell which is then no company.

I find that the deadline setting sometimes gets out of hand because it's not the setter who has to meet the deadline. For example if I set a deadline you have to meet and I can not influence the work being done (help or somehow make it easier to hit the deadline) how could I ever understand the "true" consequence of setting the deadline? In other words, not my weekend so I probably won't care as much as you.

What has worked for me (sometimes) is setting up the consequence; if we have to make x for deadline y, we won't be able to make a for deadline b. And then try and involve "sales" or the deadline setters in how we cut down whatever has to be made so we do make the deadline.

But that completely aligns with the post as that rarely is user centric or building the best solution for users. This simply gets stuff done within an arbitrary deadline set by someone, to meet a contract etc.

Bear in mind these experiences are from startups and not corporates.