The developers failed to deliver their commitment again, and management expressed their frustration by putting the team โon noticeโ.
The low down was incomplete features and questionable quality, and the previous four sprints were not much different. The technical team leader couldnโt be more stressed about fronting another disappointing demo.
This was the situation I walked into when accepting a Systems Analyst role on the team, but I had been briefed ahead of time and felt confident that improving things was more straightforward than it appeared.
What I Discovered
The UX team produced high-fidelity designs ahead of each sprint, which became sprint commitments without technical validation. Developers then broke the designs into individual screens, creating a ticket for each and forming their backlog.
The Problem
The UX team lacked technical expertise and often produced visually appealing but technically unfeasible designs. This resulted in unexpected blockers, frequent rework, missed deadlines, and stress within the development team.
The Solution
Design reviews were held earlier in the process to ensure each user journey was technically feasible, collaboration with the UX team promoted more realistic sprint commitments, and developers worked from a well-defined backlog validated by technical analysis.
As a result of these changes, tickets flowed across the board, delivery predictability increased, and rework significantly reduced. Sprint demos became a joyous occasion, and management praised the team.
Better Software UK specialises in software requirements for Legacy System Replacement ๐ฅ; particularly for remote, outsourced and offshore development teams working in financial services.