"Getting It Right the First Time"

With programs like NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) or the F-35 fighter jet, billions have been spent chasing perfection before anything ever flew. Excessive scoping slows learning, burns through resources, and delays critical feedback. In the end, these projects often produce products that are redundant by the time they’re delivered, as market and mission requirements have already evolved.

In fast-moving industries, the goal is shipping, not perfection. Teams that master scoping learn faster, iterate better, and ultimately deliver superior products.

The question isn’t, “Can we get this perfect?” It’s, “What can we ship today?” Shipping early and often teaches more than theorizing for years ever could.

The biggest mistake teams make is assuming they know how to execute something they’ve never done before.

The Balance Between Process and Product

Ninety-nine percent of failures in complex engineering projects happen during integration. The moment something flies, valuable lessons emerge. Yet the core tradeoff in scoping remains misunderstood:

• High-quality Product + Variable Process

• High-quality Process + Variable Product

Choose one.

Many European organizations prioritize process over product, aiming for a rigid approach that often leads to delayed progress. In contrast, scrappy U.S. teams succeed because they embrace process variability, knowing they’ll eventually refine it while delivering a high-quality product through trial and error.

Astranis adopted this mindset early on. Their first cubesat for Y Combinator’s Demo Day was built in just three weeks—in a “cleanroom” made from PVC pipes and shower curtains. That scrappy, iterative approach allowed them to test and learn quickly, progressing step by step to more complex geostationary satellites.

Later, to test their software-defined radio technology, Astranis launched LEO satellites. These early missions helped them iterate on full mission profiles, get more reps for the team from each launch, and steadily progress to a more challenging higher orbit.

Time Is a Requirement, Not a Resource

The most successful teams treat time as a requirement rather than a resource to be stretched. The biggest cost in development isn’t material or failure—it’s time. A large team multiplied by months of salaries creates an enormous burn rate. Yet many organizations prioritize minimizing failure over minimizing delay.

For instance, teams often say, “If our MVP fails, we lose $100,000.” But how often do they ask, “How much does it cost us if we ship a month late?” In many cases, that number is millions.

To work effectively, teams need to embrace time constraints. Instead of asking what they could deliver with infinite resources, they should ask: “What can we ship in six months?” This mindset forces prioritization, drives focus, and often leads to better outcomes. Shipping five imperfect products in a year builds more team muscle and process refinement than waiting to ship one perfect product next year.

Overcoming the Fear of Failure

One of the greatest barriers to adopting a minimum viable product (MVP) mindset is the fear of failure. Engineers often resist releasing “crappy” early versions to avoid looking subpar. But this mindset is counterproductive.

Three-year roadmaps might feel safe, but they often serve as excuses to delay shipping. Real learning happens when teams take risks and push releases earlier than they’re comfortable.

Astranis exemplifies this. Before moving to full geostationary satellites, they iterated with simpler LEO satellites, learning mission-critical lessons about software-defined radio technology and team capabilities. Each launch built experience and confidence for their next step.

Scoping Is a Test of Judgment

At its core, scoping is about judgment: stripping down to the essentials, identifying what must be de-risked now, and cutting out anything unnecessary. Done right, it drives speed, learning, and progress. Done wrong, it bloats timelines and wastes opportunities.

Take Planet, for instance. Instead of perfecting custom antenna designs upfront, they started with off-the-shelf consumer electronics. They launched fast, proved their concept, and iterated. Astranis followed a similar path, focusing on minimum viable satellites to secure funding and validate their mission profiles.

The key questions are always the same: What problem do we need to de-risk now? Is it building team muscle, proving technology, or creating evidence for investors? When is the “right” time to stop theorizing and start shipping?

The goal of scoping isn’t perfection—it’s progress. By embracing imperfection and prioritizing time, companies like Astranis and Planet stay ahead of the curve. They deliver faster, learn more, and build better products in the end. The lesson is clear: If you want to move fast and stay competitive, the only way to learn is to ship.