One shouldn’t have to sell the concept of three-in-a-box planning, where product management, design, and engineering get together to make product decisions, but sometimes conditions make it necessary. In this case, product managers and engineers embattled by an overwhelming pile of customer commitments had been in hurry-up mode so long that they felt the only way to survive was to be heads-down and ask as few questions as possible. Just accept a brief and punch out a feature, quick and broken. It’s no way to live.