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ockhams-feature-pruning

Prune accumulated complexity from a product — features, options, settings, code paths that no longer earn their place. Use when auditing a mature product, reducing surface area, simplifying complex workflows, or evaluating whether to remove low-usage features. Pruning is harder than adding because users (often a small but vocal minority) resist removal even when usage data justifies it. The skill is identifying what to prune, deciding how, and managing the transition.

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# Ockham's Razor — feature pruning

Feature pruning is the discipline of removing things that no longer earn their place. Most products accumulate features, options, and complexity over time; periodic pruning is necessary to prevent the product from becoming unusable through accumulated weight.

Pruning is hard. Users (often a small but loud minority) resist removal even when most users don't use the feature. Engineers may have spent significant effort building it. Marketing has highlighted it. The cost of removal feels concrete; the benefit (freedom from maintenance, simpler product, easier evolution) is diffuse.

But pruning, done well, is one of the highest-leverage product activities. A clean product evolves faster, costs less to maintain, is easier for new users to learn, and tends to keep its core users happier.

## What's a candidate for pruning

A feature, option, or piece of UI is a pruning candidate when one or more of:

**Low usage.** Below 1% of users (often below 5%) without clear strategic justification.