“Speed is irrelevant if you are going in the wrong direction.”
Mahatma Gandhi once said those words, and they’re painfully true — no matter how fast you're progressing, you will not reach your destination if you're not going in the right direction.
The same rule applies to the software development process.
You’re part of the best technically skilled development team globally, and you could create the software at blazing speed. Still, suppose the increments you’re building aren’t in line with the customer’s needs and expectations. In that case, no development speed will justify the direction misalignment.
What can cause the misalignment between the customer's needs and expectations and how the development progresses?
The list of possible causes is endless — starting from the customer not being able to explain their goal clearly and ending with team members creating false assumptions and thinking they know the customer's needs.
They all produce the same result — a lack of understanding on the development team’s side.
And, newsflash, there's virtually no chance to build a successful product without a proper understanding of customers’ or end-users' needs. This understanding is the "direction" in which we should progress.
So, let's try to ask ourselves the following question:
“Are we always sure we're going in the right direction? Do we always know the destination?”
This question is crucial for both the project manager and the tech team. Actually, it applies to any role involved in software creation.
How can we build a valuable piece of software without understanding who will use it and for what purpose?
The majority of project failures in the software industry stem from the lack of such understanding. All assumptions made during the project planning, no matter how complex and insightful they are, mean nothing as long as you don’t confront them with the actual end-user needs.
How can you ensure that you understand the direction?
Now, this is the question. Answer it to know whether the work you perform is what the customer needs and expects.
If I said to you, “Use the green colour to paint this room,” what would you do?
Are you sure that I want every wall to be green? Or maybe some of the walls? Perhaps you should only paint them green to a specific height?
If you’re unsure about the exact requirements, you won’t bring value to the end-user even if you do your absolute best.
Not to worry, though. Many techniques help establish the customer’s needs and find the right direction in the development process. They work as a compass in your journey through the project.
These methods aren’t necessarily complicated — sometimes, a simple question can prevent you from wasting time.
The power of “why” and “what for”
At the beginning of any project, your go-to question is, “Why does the customer want this piece of software to be built?”
The answer may surprise you in many cases.
Commonly, the real cause is very different from what seems to be on the surface. When you ask this question, the customer might also start looking at the purpose of the functionality differently.
The reason changes the optics and perspective from which you will look at the functionalities you are implementing.
So don’t be shy or afraid to ask this question to either your manager or the customer when you have such an occasion.
It may be the most critical question you ask throughout the whole project lifecycle.
Other techniques
You may need more than a simple question to get to the bottom of things. That’s when other techniques come in handy.
Consider using:
user story mapping,
persona mapping, or
a combination of a few.
They differ in terms of the use case, but they will all bring you to the same point — understanding the direction you should go.
Once you know that everything, or most of it, is in your hands, it’s a matter of adjusting the speed.
What are the benefits of a team that understands the customer’s needs?
What would you choose from the project management standpoint — having a highly skilled team without a clear sense of direction or a less experienced one but with a strong understanding of the customer’s needs?
The votes might be fifty-fifty, and it’s unfortunate.
Mind that there’s no guarantee that the skills will compensate for the lack of understanding of the purpose.
As a project manager, I know that ensuring that my team knows the purpose of their work is my main job.
Once your team gets the direction, you’ll enjoy substantial benefits, such as:
higher performance,
less technical debt, and
exceptional ability to innovate.
All you need to get there is to answer the question, “Does my team know the direction they should head in?” with a solid yes!
What can you do to make your team understand business goals?
Often, the team will need your help to find the right direction; it goes without saying. But don’t feel burdened by this!
You don’t have to know the answer to this question upfront.
In many cases, finding this answer is the most challenging and critical part of the project, and that’s why we have the tools for that!
Some of them I’ve mentioned in the “other techniques” section, but the list isn’t limited only to those.
Identify the layer that contains the answer you’re looking for and adjust the technique, or a combination of techniques, to extract the information you’re striving to find!
Once you succeed in that step, you’re ready to guide your team through the journey — both in the right direction and at relevant speed!
