The Dilemma of Timeboxes Timeboxes, such as sprints in agile development, create a recurring deadline for delivering working software. On one hand, timeboxes propel the team to make regular progress. The cadence of sprints forces planning, prioritization, and production. On the other hand, time pressure can lead to rushed work and technical debt. Rigid timelines…
Defining Impediments An impediment is any obstacle that prevents an agile team from making progress on their sprint goals and delivering working software. Impediments can take many forms including: Missing or inadequate resources (e.g. people, infrastructure, information) Organizational constraints such as policies or processes External dependencies from other teams or vendors Technical challenges and bugs…
Aligning Process Values with Agile Values The core values and principles of Agile software development differ markedly from traditional plan-driven approaches. Where traditional processes focus on comprehensive upfront planning, extensive documentation, and strict adherence to initial requirements, Agile emphasizes responding to change, frequent inspection and adaptation, and face-to-face communication amongst team members. These divergent philosophies…
The Challenges of Multi-Step Processes Multi-step development processes often involve complex interdependencies between tasks that need to be managed carefully in agile environments. Some key challenges include: Handling dependencies between tasks – When a task depends on the output of another task, delays can cascade through the project plan if not handled correctly. Maintaining clarity…
Defining the Tension Between Control and Empowerment in Scrum Scrum roles and responsibilities The Scrum framework defines three core roles: the product owner, the Scrum master, and the development team. The product owner is responsible for articulating product vision and priorities, managing the product backlog, and accepting completed work. The Scrum master facilitates Scrum events,…
Defining Software Defects and Velocity Metrics Before diving into the debate around including bugs in velocity metrics, it is important to clearly define key terminology. A software defect or “bug” refers to an error, flaw, failure, or fault in a computer program that causes it to produce an incorrect or unexpected result or behave in…
Velocity measures the amount of work a team can complete within a sprint. However, only counting “done” user stories fails to show the true velocity of a team. Partially completed work still requires effort and pulls focus from finishing other stories. By quantifying and tracking incomplete work, teams can adjust their velocity to set realistic…
Comparing Scrum and Kanban Methodologies Scrum and Kanban are two popular agile project management frameworks that share some similarities but also have distinct differences. Both Scrum and Kanban aim to deliver work iteratively in small batches, encourage transparency through visualization, and promote continuous improvement. However, Scrum provides a structured framework with specific roles, events, artifacts,…
The Dilemma of Innovation Timeframes Innovation projects in research and development often struggle with balancing undefined time horizons against pressure for timely results. While open-ended blue sky exploration enables flexibility and discovery, lack of deadlines and priority focus can lead efforts to stall. Conversely, excess rigidity stifles the iterative process inherent in innovation. This article…
Defining Acceptable Response Times When customers reach out for support, having clear expectations set on response times is key to providing a good customer experience. To define appropriate response time targets, companies should start by analyzing current support traffic – what are the most common issues customers face? How complex are they to troubleshoot and…
