How many times has the team decided they would start on every item without getting any items done? One comon Agile myth is that it is ok to start on every task just as long as you get them all done by the end of the iteration. We all know what most comonly happens is that the team underestimates the amount of time it actually takes to get work done, and end up not finishing anything they started.
I am starting to become a believer in the Lean WIP concept! It just seems logical to me that with a WIP limit in place, fewer things move to in progress and more work gets done. This means fewer items get left started and not completed. This means happier product owners and project managers.
The picture that came to my mind as I thought of this was Thanksgiving dinner. What if I started cooking everything all at the same time, but did not agree to finish cooking anything. Then as people became more hungry, I agreed to complete various items at various times. I just could not imagine that the guests for dinner would be pleased with such a concept.
Teams need to get used to the concept that they are not at work to punch the timeclock, nor will they receive recognition for How much work they got underway! Our effectiveness is based on the amount of work that gets completed. One of our goals should be to never leave the turkey half baked! We all need to get in the habit of doing as we say and saying what we will do. We need to do a better job of continuous flow of information and maintaining the highest levels of visibility.
Institute best practices, be Lean, be Agile, enjoy Life!
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