Satisficing – (verb) Pursuing the minimum acceptable results or outcome because that decision is familiar, hassle-free, and requires the least investigation.

Herbert Simon first coined the term in 1956.

The difference between satisficing and iterating is the idea of permanence.

When you satisfice, you’ve accepted an end-state far less than ideal. In other words, you’ve given up on learning more because you’ve conscientiously decided this is where your learning stops.

When iterating, you accept a beginning state that is less than ideal but with plans to improve continually beyond the beginning state.

Iterating implies growth. Satisficing indicates an endpoint that is good enough.

References and Resources

Steve Portigal – Interviewing Users: I first ran across the term “satisfice” in this book.

More details are here.

Supporting Music

Cult of Personality by Living Colour

Untitled by The Smashing Pumpkins

Dramamine by Modest Mouse

Note: Originally posted on January 4, 2018