More process, more meetings, more sprints won’t fix the burning problems in your business, so stop with the “agile” fantasy already!
I had to pick myself up off the floor when a client told me that his team waste six hours or more in “backlog grooming” every week–and that he can’t stop the endless meetings without alienating the team. Of course they feel safer with layers of process protecting them, but comfort isn’t the goal, business results are. Engineers who want certainty, clarity, and detailed “requirements” are in the wrong job, and certainly aren’t “agile” in any reasonable sense of the term–so don’t give in to the urge to retain them at all costs. My client agreed the process is crazy and is reducing and refocusing the grooming sessions; what could you do to get your team out of cloud cuckoo-land today?
This first appeared in my weekly Squirrel Squadron email, which goes out every Monday, and was originally posted on 18th July 2022. To get my provocative thoughts and tips direct to your inbox first, sign up here: https://squirrelsquadron.com/