In typical 37signals fashion, the wisdom in these pages is edgy yet

Good enough is fine
A lot of people get off on solving problems with complicated solutions.
Flexing your intellectual muscles can be intoxicating. Then you start
looking for another big challenge that gives you that same rush, regardless
of whether it's a good idea or not.
A better idea: Find a judo solution, one that delivers maximum efficiency
with minimum effort. Judo solutions are all about getting the most out of
doing the least. Whenever you face an obstacle, look for a way to judo it.
Part of this is recognizing that problems are negotiable. Let's say your
challenge is to get a bird's-eye view. One way to do it is to climb Mount
Everest. That's the ambitious solution. But then again, you could take an
elevator to the top of a tall building. That's a judo solution.
Problems can usually be solved with simple, mundane solutions. That
means there's no glamorous work. You don't get to show off your amazing
skills. You just build something that gets the job done and then move on.
This approach may not earn you oohs and aahs, but it lets you get on with
it.
Look at political campaign ads. A big issue pops up, and politicians have
an ad about it on the air the next day. The production quality is low. They
use photos instead of live footage. They have static, plain-text headlines
instead of fancy animated graphics. The only audio is a voice-over done by
an unseen narrator. Despite all that, the ad is still good enough. If they
waited weeks to perfect it, it would come out too late. It's a situation where
timeliness is more important than polish or even quality.
When good enough gets the job done, go for it. It's way better than
wasting resources or, even worse, doing nothing because you can't afford
the complex solution. And remember, you can usually turn good enough
into great later.

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