Sometimes refactoring something into a schelling point creates unforeseeable value.

For example, maybe you have a number of bits of functionality spread out across some scripts.

Then you refactor it into one CLI with a consistent UI.

Technically nothing new is now possible… but it is much easier to wrangle the functionality.

Now a lot of outcomes that were previously non-viable (too high of friction) are suddenly viable.

These are the kinds of no-brainer moves that often unlock emergent value, but are hard to motivate with a detailed ROI calculation.