Planning and delivery#
Roadmapping#
We plan in a 3×3 matrix:
| Now | Next | Later | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Vision today | Vision next | Vision later |
| Logical | Approach now | Approach next | Approach later |
| Detailed | Tasks now | Tasks next | Tasks later |
- Now / Next / Later are time horizons without firm dates.
- Conceptual / Logical / Detailed are levels of fidelity.
The detail increases as work moves from Later toward Now.
Lean Software Development#
Start very thin. Get the team's ideas flowing. Enable more people to contribute. Don't build for tomorrow's requirements (YAGNI).
The iteration phases — and we move through them quickly, sometimes in parallel:
- Spike / Experiment — can this thing even be built?
- Proof of Concept — does the experiment survive contact with reality?
- MVP — first version we can run in production. Start collecting real feedback.
- Improvements — stabilize, add functionality, harden.
The best feedback is the feedback from people who have seen the thing.
Ways of working#
One size does not fit all. The way we work follows the principles above, including the principle of evolving how we work.
- Start lean with processes and ceremonies. Get to know each other and the work first.
- Scrum + Kanban hybrid — dynamic cycles, no firm sprint end dates. A cycle is over when an Epic is delivered. Estimation is approximate; Epics themselves are kept lean.
- Limit Work in Progress. Roughly three concurrent items per person is the typical ceiling for sustained focus.
- Extreme Programming — pair programming (human + human, or human + agent) as a vehicle for learning, decision-making, review, and validation.