Don't launch new things on Fridays.

Daniele Catalanotto
Oct 6, 2022


A Service Design Principle to get things out in public in a calm way.

It’s Friday. With the team, we are about to launch a new website! We’re all excited. This is something we’ve been working on for months. And today is the big day where everyone gets to see it. With the developers, we finally push the website live. Feels good!

We’re happy. Everyone is happy. A few hours later. The situation changes. The clients just discovered new critical bugs, and we get emails from many people with things that need to be fixed urgently! Worse. It’s already late. This means we’ll have to work on this during the weekend. Sorry honey, you’re going to hate me.

In the book “It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work” the authors shared similar situations and came up with this idea:

Fridays are terrible days to release anything.

In my personal experience, Mondays suck similarly. It’s the start of the work week, so you don’t have much time to fix one last thing before the launch quickly.

So let me ask you this.

What’s your organisation’s and culture’s best day to launch new things?

Footnotes

The first draft of this Service Design Principle was adapted in more understandable English by the lovely Joanna Bienz. Thanks, Joanna!

Daniele’s personal notes

  • This is the second draft of this Service Design Principle.
  • The length of this principle has been reduced by 16% compared to the first draft.
  • Once improved even more, this principle could be part of the book “Service Design Principles 201-300”
  • As always, feel free to share comments, feedback or personal stories to improve this principle.
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Patrick Marcelissen
Oct 6, 2022
Clear message, I would suggest another question to end up, " what are your consideration's internal or external"?
Daniele Catalanotto
Oct 12, 2022
Thanks for the feedback Patrick :) 
Could you rephrase your question? I'm not sure to understand it yet ;)
Daniele Catalanotto
Oct 29, 2022

The third draft of this Service Design Principle

It’s Friday, and we are about to launch a new website with the team! As we’ve worked on this for months, we’re excited! We push the website live and it feels good!

A few hours later. Things change...

The clients discover new critical bugs to fix! Worse, it’s already late in the afternoon. So we’ll have to work during the night or the weekend. Sorry honey, you’re going to hate me.

In the book “It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work” (1) the authors experienced similar situations. They came up with this idea: Fridays are terrible for releasing anything. And I have to say, I agree. (2)

So let me ask you this.

What’s the best day to launch new things in your culture and organization?

Footnotes

(1) Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson (2018). It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work. Harper Business. Available at https://extra.swissinnovation.academy/JZ67 accessed 19 October 2022.

(2) In my personal experience, Mondays suck similarly. It’s the start of the work week, so you don’t have much time to fix one last thing before the launch quickly.

The first draft of this Service Design Principle was adapted in more understandable English by the lovely Joanna Bienz. Thanks, Joanna!

Daniele’s notes

  • This is the third draft of this principle.
  • I’ve reduced the length of this principle by 29 % compared to the previous draft.
  • I reworked the conclusion question as it didn’t make much sense.