However, as the weeks turned into months, the team's velocity began to slow down. Defects piled up, and the team found itself stuck in an endless cycle of bug fixing and rework. The product owner, Rachel, was getting anxious, as the delayed release was starting to impact the company's revenue projections.
Together, they decided to adopt a new approach, one that prioritized flow and focused on delivering value to customers quickly. They started by limiting their WIP, ensuring that each team member had a manageable workload. They also began to prioritize features based on their economic value, using a Cost of Delay (CoD) calculation to guide their decision-making. However, as the weeks turned into months, the
The PDF introduced Alex to the concept of "queues" and the importance of limiting work in progress (WIP). He realized that their development process was akin to a factory production line, where tasks were being pushed through the system without consideration for the team's capacity to handle them. Together, they decided to adopt a new approach,
Alex's team had become a model for other teams within the company, demonstrating that with the right principles and mindset, it was possible to achieve remarkable results. The PDF, once a curiosity, had become a guiding document for the company's development process. The PDF introduced Alex to the concept of
Alex was particularly struck by the principle of "first, do no harm." He realized that the team's actions, although well-intentioned, were often causing more harm than good. For example, their testing process was so onerous that it was delaying releases and causing frustration among team members.