Don't answer the first question
The article discusses a strategy for effectively addressing user questions about a performance debugging tool called Perfetto. Instead of answering the initial question directly, the author emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying issues that led to the question. This approach not only helps users gain a better understanding of the tool but also provides insights into potential product improvements.
- ▪The author suggests not answering the first version of a user's question to uncover deeper issues.
- ▪This method fosters valuable conversations that benefit both the user and the product developer.
- ▪Understanding the philosophy behind the tool is crucial for users to utilize it effectively.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Don't answer the first questionMay 16, 2026· EssayIn my work on Perfetto, a performance debugging tool, one question I get often is: “how do I split a Perfetto trace into multiple files?” Instead of answering directly, I say: “there isn’t an easy way to do that, but what’s leading you to collect traces large enough to want to split?”This is one of my golden rules at work. When a user asks me something “weird”: don’t answer the first version of the question.On the surface this might appear like I’m talking about the XY problem, but that stops one step short. It treats the user’s stated question as a puzzle to decode: figure out what they really meant, answer that, move on.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Lalit Maganti.
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