While it’s tempting to meet client demands, stability & user experience should always be a priority. If the feature is critical to the client’s success, a careful, measured approach should be taken to minimise risk. If the risk outweighs the reward, it’s essential to present alternative solutions that can achieve similar results without compromising the system’s stability. Recommend developing a PoC or a prototype first Investigate the complexity of the feature & performance or security issues. Have a Rollback Plan if incases there's a significant issues. Explain the potential risks in simple & clear language. Keep a robust monitoring and alerting systems to quickly detect and respond to any problems that arise once the feature is live.

When a client demands a risky feature, my approach balances innovation with stability. I first analyze the feature's purpose, technical feasibility, and potential risks to existing functionality, performance, and user experience. Collaborating with stakeholders, I propose incremental implementation, leveraging feature flags or beta rollouts for controlled testing. Comprehensive test coverage, staging environments, and robust monitoring mitigate risks, while a rollback plan ensures recovery from unforeseen issues. Clear communication with the client about risks, trade-offs, and mitigations empowers informed decision-making. This approach ensures the feature meets business goals without compromising the app's reliability or user trust.

Take time to interrogate and analyze the core business (or technical) objectives the customer is actually trying to achieve Figure out a more appropriate design and implementation to achieve it without compromising the system in any way that would keep me or my team awake at night putting out fires

Explain to the client: "A risky feature can compromise the app's stability and security, which ultimately impacts user trust." Offer safer alternatives or phased approaches to implement their idea while minimizing risks. It's about balancing their vision with responsible development.

If a client demands a risky feature, I would assess its impact, communicate potential risks and alternatives, consult the team for feasibility, and prioritize stability. If necessary, I’d recommend phased implementation with robust testing and rollback measures. Transparency and risk management ensure client needs are met without compromising the app’s reliability.

It's important to weigh the risks and benefits of new features. Clear and honest communication with the client is key, explaining the potential issues in simple terms and setting realistic expectations. Offering alternative solutions that still meet the client's goals helps reduce risk. Rigorous testing, like prototypes and gradual rollouts, ensures the feature works as intended. Documenting decisions and getting client approval on risky features helps keep everything in check. This approach balances the client’s wishes with the long-term health of the project.

The long answer is about managing client expectations, offering alternatives and choosing a nuanced and respectful approach. If you have yourself a great client you won't need to worry. The short answer is that if your client is unreasonable and demands you shoulder the risk for something you know is going to bring instability at best and financial liability at worst then you need to reconsider your continued relationship with the client. If it goes south you will bear the brunt of the failure and not the client. Choose wisely.

I'm prepared to warn them of the risks, explain to them the potential consequences and then do it if they feel adequately informed and decide to proceed.