In the fast-paced world of software development, there’s a common belief: Keep going, and you’ll eventually get there.
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you don’t stop.” – Confucius
Great advice for personal growth. Terrible advice for software development. While perseverance is valuable, there are times when the best decision isn’t to push forward — it’s to “pause, reassess, and course-correct.”
Don’t Ignore the Red Flags When Your Project is Stuck in Limbo
Recently, I spoke with a prospect who started a software project in July 2024 with plans to launch by November 2024. The product agency they hired didn’t show their work until mid-October and casually mentioned they’d be a few weeks behind. Fast forward to March 2025, and the product still hasn’t launched. Worse? The agency still won’t commit to a deadline.
This is a classic case of a project stuck in the ‘almost done’ loop. If your project is perpetually “75% complete” or just “two more weeks away,” it’s time to step back and take control.
The Importance of Regular LIVE Product Demos
One of the biggest mistakes in software development is waiting too long to see tangible progress. A lack of regular live product demos is a red flag that can lead to extended delays and unmet expectations.
Here’s why LIVE product demos are non-negotiable:
- Accountability: Regular demos force teams to showcase real progress, not just provide status updates.
- Early Risk Identification: Problems and roadblocks surface sooner, allowing for adjustments before it’s too late.
- Alignment: Frequent demos ensure that everyone—stakeholders, developers, and leadership—stay on the same page.
If you find yourself in this situation, ask:
- Are we making real progress, or just moving in circles?
- Are we getting regular product demos, or are we waiting for “the big reveal”?
- Is the team focused on shipping the core product, or lost in endless iterations?
When to Press Pause and Reevaluate
Pushing forward without reexamining your strategy can be costly. If you’re facing any of the following issues, it’s time to hit pause and reassess:
- Your product agency or development team can’t give a definitive launch timeline.
- The project has missed multiple deadlines, with delays justified as *“just a couple more weeks.”*
- Core features are still incomplete, but scope creep has set in.
- The team isn’t receiving regular product demos.
- There’s no clear plan for getting to market.
The Hard Conversations You Need to Have Your Product Development Team or Product Agency
If your project is in trouble, you need to have direct, no-BS conversations with your product team. Ask:
- What is the actual status of the product? No vague answers — ask for specifics.
- What’s preventing launch right now? Identify roadblocks and whether they’re technical, strategic, design or organizational.
- What is the critical path to getting this live? If this can’t be clearly outlined, you may need to rethink your approach.
- Do we need a new team? Sometimes, the current agency or team isn’t the right fit, and a change is necessary.
The Cost of Not Pausing Your Software Project
Sticking with a broken process out of sunk-cost fallacy can be expensive. Continuing without reassessing can result in:
- Burning resources on endless iterations with no real progress.
- Lost market opportunities because competitors move faster.
- Stakeholder frustration and declining confidence in the project.
- A product that never actually launches.
Need to Rescue a Stalled Project?
This scenario happens more often than you think. The prospect I spoke with read one of my previous blogs and reached out for guidance because they needed to rescue their project. If you’re in the same position, don’t wait until it’s too late.
Press pause. Don’t wait until you’re in too deep. Have the hard conversations. Reevaluate. And if needed, bring in the right expertise to course-correct and get back on track.
If you’re facing a similar challenge, ISHIR can help.
Sometimes, a fresh perspective is all it takes to get unstuck.
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