You're facing conflicting user feedback and software limitations. How do you navigate this complex situation?

DevOps and Site Reliability Engineering aim to eliminate silos. Building and iterating a feedback system while making sure SLOs and SLAs are defined and followed is key to a functioning team

Navigating conflicting user feedback and software limitations is a significant challenge, especially as your user base grows. Be honest about software limitations. Explain why these constraints exist and how they impact delivery. This builds trust and helps manage expectations. Understanding the balance between what needs to be done and what can be delivered helps mitigate conflicts. Clarity of scope and definition is key to reducing misunderstandings.

Users feedback as a method has scaling limitations. Let's consider a platform with large 10,000 users or more. In order to get unbiased picture, you need to process circa 400 feedbacks. You can do a simple math to get to the point - "active listening", understanding the "true needs" may cost be cost ineffective.

Each individual software project runs on tight resources with respect to time, budget and resources. Business is aware about this fact, which makes it easier to have priority discussions with your users regarding different features, enhancements or bugs. Explaining the trade off while prioritizing further enables business to take objective decisions. Also, try to be more empathetic towards business during these conversations. What would be easier for you to understand from a technology stand point, may not be as easy for them to understand. So take time for questions and clarify assumptions, exceptions during the meeting.

Feedback, an activity inherent to dialogue, therefore a common attribute of human beings, due to its scarcity, ended up becoming a type of discipline and good practices, when it should be a skill, a type of soft skill common to each and every professional. Computer Science comes from a history where computer professionals were locked in operating rooms, which is not sustainable in post-modern days.

The exact sciences area, historically, has been characterized by professionals with high logical skills and little articulation in humanities. This is a gap if we consider that technological deliveries, at the end of the day, are deliveries for people, which places the ability to dialogue as an important component. And there is only effective communication when the message reaches the receiver without entropy. If something is said but not understood, the responsibility lies with the one who sends the signal and not with the one who receives it. It seems obvious to be clear, but in practice, it is not.

Recently, a few software issues (all related) brought my user's progress to a halt. After notifying the appropriate dev team members, and adding the Jira ticket to their queue, I prepared a quick workaround (that existed outside of the software) for my user that allowed her to continue working. Simple alternatives are a way to relieve the pressure of approaching due dates, and frustration for both the my user, and my dev teammates. I use them alternatives without reservation, because people just want to get their tasks done.

In my experience, I've found that users respond well to information that tempers their expectations. While working with my users to get issues resolved, my teammates and I have explained that their issues are actively being addressed, but will not be available immediately. The temperature of the conversation cooled as a result. Managing expectations is necessary for a healthy relationship with our users. Sharing technical or capacity challenges that affect delivery: a) allows our users to process real information, then pivot accordingly b) shows respect for our users c) creates more operating space for our dev team, and the Project Lead going forward d) results in better software

An autonomous empowered team makes better decisions in this situation. Having "Tenets", which can act as tie breakers and aids fast decision making is a must for every high performing team.