AI Doesn't Know What NOT to Build

Over the last few articles, I’ve talked about two observations we’ve made while building Dillio.

AI doesn’t really understand people.

It’s also remarkably good at supporting almost any idea you decide to explore.

The third lesson feels like the natural result of those first two.

AI doesn’t know what not to build.

That isn’t because the technology isn’t capable.

It’s because AI never experiences the product the way people do.

Every Feature Makes Sense

One thing that’s surprised me while building Dillio is how easy it is to justify adding another feature.

Viewed on its own, almost every idea has value for someone.

Another scheduling option.

Another filter.

Another notification.

Another setting.

None of those ideas are inherently bad.

In fact, many of them would probably improve the experience for a small group of users.

The problem is that people don’t experience software one feature at a time.

They experience the entire product.

Simplicity Is a Product Decision

When someone opens Dillio for the first time, they’re not evaluating the number of features we’ve built.

They’re trying to accomplish something.

Find their court.

Check their next opponent.

See the standings.

Join an event.

Every additional option asks them to process one more decision.

Every extra screen creates another opportunity for confusion.

Every setting increases the amount of software they have to learn before they can simply enjoy playing pickleball.

That’s why simplicity isn’t the absence of work.

It’s the result of a tremendous amount of work.

Every clean interface is built on hundreds of decisions about what doesn’t belong.

The Features Nobody Will Ever See

Like every software team, we’ve accumulated plenty of ideas while building Dillio.

Some are interesting.

Some would probably work well.

Some may even appear in the product one day.

Many won’t.

Not because they’re bad ideas.

Because they solve problems that aren’t important enough to justify the additional complexity they create.

I’ve started to think that’s one of the most overlooked parts of software development.

Adding features feels like progress.

Leaving them out often creates the better product.

Building Less Can Be Harder Than Building More

AI has made software development dramatically faster.

Writing code is easier.

Testing ideas is easier.

Prototyping is easier.

What’s still difficult is deciding where to stop.

That’s a decision rooted in judgment, experience, and empathy for the people using the product.

AI can help build almost anything.

It still takes people to recognize when enough is enough.

Final Thought

When I look back at the decisions that have shaped Dillio the most, many of them aren’t features you’ll ever notice.

They’re the features you’ll never see.

Sometimes the best product decisions aren’t the things you build.

They’re the things you intentionally choose to leave out.