How Questioning Assumptions Saved a Client from a Costly Rebuild

Hey there,

Ever been told, "This needs to be fixed!" as soon as you step into a new engagement? 

It's a common refrain for fractional CTOs. The assumption is that something is broken, and your job is to fix it, no questions asked.

But what if that assumption is wrong? What if the real issue isn't the tech itself, but the thinking behind it?

That's where first-principles thinking comes in. 

First-principles thinking means boiling a problem down to its fundamental truths and reasoning up from there, rather than making decisions based on existing assumptions or analogies.

Here's how I've used it to save clients from unnecessary (and expensive) rebuilds:

1. Question the premise: "Does this actually need fixing? What evidence suggests it's broken?"

2. Examine the goal: "What are we really trying to achieve here? Is this the most effective way to do it?"

3. Consider alternatives: "Could we solve this problem in a simpler, cheaper, or faster way?"

4. Weigh the tradeoffs: "What are the costs and benefits of each approach? Which one delivers the most value for the least effort?"

In one memorable case, I was brought in to rescue a "failing" product. The exec team was convinced they needed a complete overhaul. But after some digging, I realized the core product was actually solid - it was the go-to-market strategy that needed work.

By challenging the initial assumption and thinking from first principles, we were able to refocus efforts on the real problem, saving months of development time and hundreds of thousands in costs.

As fractional CTOs, our outsider perspective is our superpower. We're not beholden to the "this is how we've always done it" mentality. We can (and should) question everything in pursuit of the truth.

Where have you used first-principles thinking to reframe a tech challenge? Hit reply and share your examples - let's learn from each other.

Stay curious,
Lior

Lior Weinstein
Founder & Head Coach, CTOx