Ah, the age-old adage: "twice the work in half the time". It's a catchy phrase, isn't it? One that's been used to sell many a book. But let's be clear from the outset: that's not what Scrum is about.
Scrum isn't about churning out features at a rapid pace. It's not about a 400% increase in output. That's a misconception. Scrum is about outcomes, not outputs. It's about delivering more value, not just more stuff. If we could deliver a fraction of what we currently do but amplify the value, wouldn't that be the real win?
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This phrase, "twice the work in half the time", while catchy, might have done its fair share of damage in the industry. It sets an expectation of volume over value. But when you delve deeper into the content of books that use such phrases, you'll often find a more nuanced explanation. For instance, the book that popularised this phrase does clarify its meaning, and it's not as simplistic as the title suggests.
Books with titles like "best practices" in the agile world might raise eyebrows among purists. But remember, it's all marketing. Publishers want to sell books, and catchy titles do that. But as professionals, we need to look beyond the cover, delve deeper, and understand the core principles.
In essence, Scrum is about delivering value. It's about being outcome-focused. So, instead of aiming for "twice the features in half the time", perhaps we should be aiming for "twice the value with the right features". That's the heart of Scrum, and that's where our focus should be.
NKDAgility can help you.
These are the kinds of issues that lean-agile practitioners love and most folks hate, and if you are not getting the return you thought that you would get, my team at NKDAgility can help you or help you find a consultant, coach, or trainer who can.
If you have issues that are undermining the effectiveness of your value delivery, it's especially important to find help as soon as you can and not wait!
Which you can do right now. You can request a free consultation with my team or sign up for one of our upcoming professional Scrum classes. Because you don't just need agility, you need Naked Agility.