Why Your Best Engineers Write the Most Bugs, CodeGood
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High-performing engineers often introduce more bugs than their peers, not due to carelessness but because they ship more code, tackle harder problems, and take calculated risks. Organizations that optimize for low bug counts inadvertently incentivize engineers to avoid ambitious work. The optimal bug rate isn't zero—it's the
Table of contents
The Analysis That Surprised EveryoneThe Difference Between Bugs and DefectsWhy Productivity and Bug Rate CorrelateThe Zero-Bug Culture That Killed InnovationThe Optimal Bug Rate Is Not ZeroBugs as Information About RiskThe Incentive ProblemWhat to Measure InsteadHow Top Teams Handle BugsThe Broader Pattern: Risk and RewardThe Diagnostic QuestionThe Uncomfortable TruthImplications for ManagementConclusionSort: