Frequent Code Changes Lead to New Bugs A common indicator of slow progress on resolving software defects in Agile development environments is when new features are continuously added without adequate testing, resulting in the introduction of regressions and new bugs. An example scenario demonstrating this issue occurs when a developer hastily adds functionality to meet…
Defining Project Scope Clearly defining the scope of a project upfront is critical to avoiding cost and schedule overruns down the road. An unclear or poorly defined scope often leads to scope creep, unexpected challenges, and the need for additional time and budget to complete the agreed upon deliverables. There are several key techniques project…
In large organizations with multiple Scrum teams, collaboration and alignment across groups can be challenging. Teams may find themselves working towards disparate or even conflicting goals, reducing efficiency and impact. Transforming Scrum coordination meetings from simple status updates into richer interactions that build shared understanding and common objectives requires intention and effort. By cultivating true…
What are Process Smells? Process smells are suboptimal workflows, practices, and behaviors that indicate deeper collaboration issues on agile software development teams. They are symptoms of friction, misalignment, and lack of trust between team members that manifest in development processes. If left unaddressed, process smells lead to tangible consequences like slow progress, poor quality, and…
Software development projects often involve multiple teams working in concert to deliver complex solutions. This interdependency introduces coordination challenges that impact delivery timelines and software quality. Two predominant approaches for structuring teams on dependent efforts are vertical team structures organized by layers of the technology stack, and horizontal structures that group cross-functional members across components…
Software development teams often struggle to complete all planned tasks within a sprint iteration. Heavy workloads, unclear requirements, and poor collaboration can cause teams to miss deadlines and carry over unfinished work. This article explores practices for improving teamwork and communication to help developers collaborate more effectively and deliver work on time. Defining the Problem:…
Balancing Iteration Lengths in Agile Development Agile development methodologies like Scrum are widely adopted for their ability to deliver working software faster through short, iterative development cycles called sprints. However, project teams often face dilemmas in balancing sprint lengths with the level of effort required to complete complex technical tasks. This article examines the tradeoffs…
Allocating Capacity for Unplanned Work Defining sprint capacity based on the development team’s velocity provides a starting point for planning. However, additional slack time should be allocated to account for unplanned work that may arise during the sprint. Planning for a 20% buffer by reducing scope or stretching capacity allows the team to absorb incoming…
What are Process Smells? Process smells are suboptimal workflows, practices, and behaviors that indicate deeper collaboration issues on agile software development teams. They are symptoms of friction, misalignment, and lack of trust between team members that manifest in development processes. If left unaddressed, process smells lead to tangible consequences like slow progress, poor quality, and…
Optimizing Cross-Project Resource Allocation Effective cross-project resource allocation is critical for organizations managing multiple strategic initiatives simultaneously. Proper allocation aligns capacity and capabilities to priority projects while minimizing waste, maximizing output, and driving enterprise-wide objectives. Key elements for optimizing cross-project resource allocation include: Assessing current resource utilization across projects Identifying organization-wide resource constraints Prioritizing projects…