Source URL: https://increment.com/planning/planning-for-momentum/

Summary

• Planning in software engineering is often seen as inflexible and unrealistic, causing frustration and missed deadlines.
• The #NoEstimates movement suggests focusing on delivering the highest-priority item quickly instead of spending time on detailed planning and estimation.
• Plans can be reimagined as a generative process that creates momentum and aligns teams around a common goal.
• Planning is a way to think and refine ideas, similar to the writing process.
• Sharing plans with others allows for feedback and collaboration, leading to better outcomes and the ability to fail fast and make changes before implementation.
• Plans can provide a sense of direction and help teams collaborate and iterate continually.
• Writing design documents or vision statements can help clarify ideas and gather feedback from colleagues.
• Plans should be ever-evolving and fuel the progress of teams.

Mind Map

mindmap
  root((Planning in Software Engineering))
    (Challenges of Planning)
      (Inflexible or unrealistic plans)
      (Complexity and surprises in software development)
    (Alternative Approaches)
      (#NoEstimates movement)
      (Iterative approaches like Agile)
    (Reimagining Planning)
      (Shifting focus from restrictions to generative process)
      (Creating momentum and aligning teams)
    (Benefits of Adaptable Plans)
      (Smooth planning journey)
      (Embracing change for better outcomes)
    (Planning as a Thinking Tool)
      (Writing process for expressing and refining ideas)
      (Creating tangible artifacts like design documents)
    (Failing Faster with Feedback)
      (Sharing plans for identifying and solving problems)
      (Increasing buy-in and improving feature fit)
    (Planning for Collaboration and Iteration)
      (Using plans to clarify vision and direction)
      (Continually evolving plans for agile development)

• Practice Quiz