Project Management
Story Points - A Tool to Solve Problems, Not a Metric
In Agile development, story points are one of the most valuable tools we use to estimate work, but like any tool, their effectiveness depends on how well they are used and understood. Story points help teams plan and communicate around complexity, capacity, and risk. However, without clear communication and alignment-especially across multiple teams-they can easily lead to confusion, misinterpretation, and even frustration, particularly for stakeholders focused on schedules and budgets. In this post, I'll share my thoughts on the best ways to use story points, the importance of viewing velocity as a team metric, and how to avoid common pitfalls when communicating story points to both teams and stakeholders.
Sprint Durations - Finding the Sweet Spot for Your Team
When it comes to Agile, one of the most debated topics is the length of a sprint. While many teams default to the standard two-week sprint, the truth is that sprint duration should be as dynamic as the Agile process itself-tailored to the team's capabilities and the business's ever-evolving needs. Whether you're optimizing for complex features, or navigating critical deadlines, the question isn't just "How long should a sprint be?" but rather, "What sprint length best serves the team and the project at this moment?"
Leadership - Validate Success Like You Validate Failure
We're quick to dive into root cause analysis when things go wrong, but do we apply the same scrutiny when things go right? It's easy to celebrate success and move on, but true growth comes from validating what made that success possible. Are we taking the time to understand why things went well so we can repeat them?
Leadership - Tackle the Monkey First
As development leaders, we often face the pressure to deliver quick wins that impress stakeholders. But focusing solely on the flashy features can lead to ignoring critical, riskier tasks that ensure long-term success. In this post, we'll explore how to strike a balance between showing progress and tackling the real challenges-while guiding stakeholders through tough decisions, even when it's not easy.