What we can learn from the Digg 4.0 disaster

The new release of Digg 4.0 seems to be a complete disaster. At least based on user riot.

Why?

• Because they followed the single worst strategic mistake that any software company can make:
  They decided to rewrite everything from scratch: Things You Should Never Do, Part I
• Because users hate changes: Fresh vs. Familiar: How Aggressively to Redesign

What would have been a better plan?

• Iterative improvements:
  Evolve code, design and ideas gradually!

Some products that have improved gradually over time: