[teampractices] FYI: Article: Transcend the “Feature Factory”

[Dan Garry]

On 31 August 2017 at 22:01, Kevin Smith <ksmith at wikimedia.org> wrote:

> I saw this article[1] the other day, titled *Transcend the “Feature
> Factory” Mindset Using Modern Agile and OKR*. Parts of it resonated with
> concerns I have heard here at the foundation. Notably the disconnect
> between being agile on the ground, but having high-level waterfall-style
> planning.
>

As long as high-level plans are seen as projections that may change rather
than immutable commitments, it's certainly possible to balance agile
practices with waterfall-style planning, and therefore benefit from both.
It seems to be a balance that's difficult to get right.

I've definitely seen both of these patterns (too focussed on agile at the
expense of the bigger picture, or too focussed on high-level plans at the
expense of focussing on the present and responding to change) at the
Foundation. I feel that the Foundation has, for the most part, gotten
better at striking that balance over time.

Thanks for forwarding, Kevin.

Dan

-- 
Dan Garry
Senior Product Manager, Editing
Wikimedia Foundation
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