Processes

The Inevitability of Incompleteness In life, we often embark optimistically on goals, plans, and projects, only to encounter setbacks, obstacles, and imperfect outcomes. Whether in our careers, relationships, or personal endeavors, experiencing failure or incompletion is inevitable. However, rather than viewing these as endpoints, we can use them as opportunities for learning and growth. Often…

Improving Efficiency of Small Tasks Identifying Areas for Improvement When looking to optimize workflows, identifying frequent small tasks that could benefit from improvements is a key first step. This section covers techniques for pinpointing areas where minor enhancements could reduce repetition and save significant time across an entire codebase. Reviewing frequent minor coding tasks Analyze…

Why Story Splitting Matters Story splitting is the practice of dividing large user stories into multiple smaller stories. This practice comes with several key benefits that can greatly improve agility and delivery. The core advantages of effective story splitting include: Improves planning and prioritization – By splitting stories into smaller parts, teams can more accurately…

Identifying Key Project Risks The first critical step in managing project risks is to systematically identify potential threats that may negatively impact key objectives such as schedule, budget, scope, and quality. Technical complexity, resource constraints, fluctuating requirements, and dependencies on external factors commonly give rise to risks in both IT and non-IT projects. Cross-functional collaboration…

Why Story Splitting Matters Story splitting is the practice of dividing large user stories into multiple smaller stories. This practice comes with several key benefits that can greatly improve agility and delivery. The core advantages of effective story splitting include: Improves planning and prioritization – By splitting stories into smaller parts, teams can more accurately…

Spiking Neural Networks: An Introduction Spiking neural networks (SNNs) are a type of artificial neural network that closely mimics the functionality of biological neural networks in the brain. Instead of neurons transmitting continuous output values, SNN neurons communicate using sequences of discrete electrical impulses or “spikes”. This spiking behavior allows SNNs to process temporal information…

Developing complex software products often requires tackling expansive features that aim to solve multifaceted user needs. These broad product requirements, commonly referred to as epics in agile methodologies, define substantial functionality that provides overarching business value. However, attempting to deliver extensive epics in a single bound proves problematic. Epics struggle to meet principles of agile…

The Challenges of Changing Requirements Adding, removing, or altering user stories during an ongoing sprint can disrupt team velocity, reduce efficiency, and make accurate planning and estimation difficult. However, changing business needs or shifting product priorities often necessitate changes in scope or requirements mid-sprint. When new requests arrive, the product owner must decide whether to…

Identifying Defects The identification of defects is a critical first step in handling them appropriately within a Kanban workflow. Teams should establish clear policies and procedures to detect defects early and consistently throughout the development process. Using Acceptance Criteria to Flag Defects Early Well-defined acceptance criteria provide a mechanism to detect defects at the start…

Defining Acceptance Criteria Acceptance criteria are a set of conditions that must be met before a deliverable is accepted by the client or relevant stakeholders. They establish clear metrics and specifications that guide teams on expected deliverable performance, quality, and outcomes. Well-defined acceptance criteria act as a checklist to validate completed work and drive project…