When you assign a ticket to someone, you're making a promise on their behalf. You're saying they'll do this work, in this way, by this time.
But you can't make promises for other people.
The Assignment Problem
You don't know if they have capacity. You don't know if they understand what's being asked. You don't know if they agree with the approach. You don't know if they're the right person for this work.
And here's the thing: they might not speak up. Maybe they're new and don't want to look incompetent. Maybe they're non-confrontational. Maybe they figure they'll deal with it later.
So they accept the assignment. They try to do the work. And when it doesn't go well — when it's late, or wrong, or incomplete — whose fault is it? You made the promise. They're expected to keep it. Assignment creates murky accountability where everyone can point fingers.
The Power of Self-Selection
The alternative is simple: let people make their own promises.
Instead of assigning work, express needs. "The checkout page is slow. Can someone look into it?" That's an ask — a problem that needs solving, not an assignment to be completed.
Then let someone claim it. "I'll investigate the checkout performance and report back by Friday." That's a promise they made themselves. They evaluated the ask. They decided they're the right person. They committed to a timeline they believe in.
Real Accountability
When people make their own promises, they own them. Not because a system assigned it — because they chose it. They're accountable in a way that assigned work never achieves.
This isn't just theory. Think about your own life. The commitments you keep most reliably are the ones you made yourself. The ones imposed on you are the ones you resent and resist.
Work should be self-described. Stop putting words in other people's mouths.