GLDC · Decision Framework

Build vs Hack

Two-way doors invite speed. One-way doors demand rigor.

Build vs Hack Decision Matrix Build vs Hack — Decision Matrix Recurrence Door Type Recurring · Two-way BUILD LEAN Pattern is real, path is reversible. Ship something useful — refactor when the shape becomes clear. Examples: new dashboard view, internal automation, MVP integrations. Recurring · One-way BUILD RIGHT Every customer hits this. Mistakes compound and are painful to undo. Slow down. Design deliberately. Examples: data model, billing, auth, public API, contracts, brand. One-off · Two-way HACK IT Cheapest path to "yes." Easy to rip out. Ship the workaround — tag the debt with an owner and expiration trigger. Examples: one-off scripts, manual workflows, custom config for one client. One-off · One-way DANGER ZONE Never paint yourself into a corner for one customer or one deal. Push back, find a two-way alternative. Examples: schema change for one client, bespoke contracts, public commitments. MODIFIERS High Reach (shared infra) → push toward BUILD RIGHT Low Relevance (off-strategy) → HACK or NO

How to use it

Ask two questions, in order. They drop you into one of four quadrants.

1
Door Type

"Is this a two-way door (cheap to undo) or a one-way door (irreversible)?"

2
Recurrence

"Will I see this exact need again — from another customer, another team, another quarter?"

Modifiers

Once you land on a quadrant, these two adjustments keep you honest.

Reach — If it touches shared infrastructure, push one tier toward Build Right. A hack on a shared service is never just a hack.
Relevance — If it's off your roadmap or ICP, push one tier toward Hack or Say No. Don't build elegant solutions for things you'll deprecate.

The discipline that makes this work

Every decision that lands in Hack It gets logged with three things on the day it ships. Without this, two-way doors quietly become one-way doors.

  1. Why — which deal, which deadline, which unknown forced the shortcut
  2. Trigger to revisit — Nth customer, revenue threshold, calendar date
  3. Owner — the person who pays the bill when it breaks

Two-question gut check

Before you commit to a direction, ask:

"If they never ask for this again, do we regret the shortcut?" — If no, hack it.

"If we build it right and lose them, do the next five customers benefit?" — If yes, build it.

Applies equally to new deals and existing accounts. An existing customer's edge case can be a one-way door for your whole platform.