“Should we use AngularJS, Ember or Backbone?”
“Should we go with Rails, Node or Java for out backend?”
“What is the right programming language to start with?”
“Do we need a mobile app?”
“Should we have Facebook login?”

You probably get these questions and their like all the time. The only right (first) answer to these questions is: It Depends.

I know, it feels like you’re saying you don’t really know, and sometimes people treat it as if you’re trying to be a smart-ass. But, really, it does depend, and giving an answer without considering the specific case is bordering negligence.

The reason we get paid The Big Bucks™ is because we know when a question deserves deeper thought and which considerations should come into play.
That’s the knowledge your clients, boss or colleagues might lack and is what your expertise should be.

Yeah, choosing Java for your server side is rare these days but what if the company is based in an area with lots of Java experts?

Yeah, Facebook login saves a lot of work sometimes, but sometimes having it would just make things really confusing, or even cause your customers to not want to use your product.

So, be proud in knowing when it’s the right call to say “it depends” and not just shoot an off-the-cuff answer. The people you work with will value you much more for knowing that everything has context.