Read on Twitter
so i know that me saying that crunch is often a stakeholder issue was "spicy", & there was a lovely tweet from someone who wasn't at #pbp21 about this particular take.
Seeing as the tweet took my words out of context (unsurprising as they weren't listening to me) let's discuss!
Seeing as the tweet took my words out of context (unsurprising as they weren't listening to me) let's discuss!
I mentioned in the talk that agile project management should focus on the outcome (the what) rather than the output (the how).
If we plan specifically based on _output_ we're 100% predicting every problem we'll come across, along with assuming their solutions and more.
If we plan specifically based on _output_ we're 100% predicting every problem we'll come across, along with assuming their solutions and more.
I don't think it's particularly revolutionary when I say that planning based on rigid assumptions of how you're going to do things is risky from a scope POV.
Here's a short article about why this distinction is important for design-heavy projects: https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/what-are-outcome-based-roadmaps/
Here's a short article about why this distinction is important for design-heavy projects: https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/what-are-outcome-based-roadmaps/
Now we get to the point where I said that crunch was OFTEN a "stakeholder rather than production issue". Production can plan out lots of stuff pretty darn well. I have faith that most producers would have the tools and experience to be able to successfully plan a project.
The itch is that we're looking for something that can be pretty hard to quantify in a gantt chart ("fun").
It's not (usually) a producer that comes to the table with a new feature or changes the narrative or scraps half a project in order to chase after "fun". It's a stakeholder.
It's not (usually) a producer that comes to the table with a new feature or changes the narrative or scraps half a project in order to chase after "fun". It's a stakeholder.
It's someone who has a vested interest in the monetisation of the product, or of the studio's brand, or in their personal style of design/storytelling/whatever. It could also be external -- maybe something political happened that changes the context?
maybe a similar title was announced and you need to pivot? Perhaps your publishers still have deadlines that don't accommodate for such a change, & you have to show something at X date or risk losing funding?
Basically, even a perfectly finessed prod plan may not survive this.
Basically, even a perfectly finessed prod plan may not survive this.
This is what i mean when I say that crunch is often a stakeholder issue, rather than a production planning issue.
Hope that clears up any 'quality control' questions.
Ahmed Sidky also did a really good talk on outcome vs output strategy here: )
Hope that clears up any 'quality control' questions.
Ahmed Sidky also did a really good talk on outcome vs output strategy here: )
