Software development is rarely straightforward. Even with experienced teams and the best intentions, projects still miss deadlines, fail to meet expectations, or get abandoned altogether. 

In this episode of Tech Council, Duncan Mapes and Jason Ehmke explore why that happens—and what teams can do differently. They dig into the importance of real-time feedback, managing scope, and maintaining healthy communication between engineering and business units.

Learn how to align vision, reduce cognitive overload, and create urgency without panic. Whether you're leading software projects or embedded in the code, these insights will help you understand where things go wrong—and how to fix them before it’s too late.

Top Takeaways:

• Incremental value delivery is essential in software development
• Understanding cognitive overhead helps in prioritization
• Smaller feature sets reduce team burden and improve focus
• Iterative development allows for better market feedback
• Trade-offs are inherent in software project management
• Real data is necessary for effective decision-making
• Waterfall methods can be limiting in fast-paced environments
• Customer relationships can tolerate imperfect products
• Empathy between business and engineering teams enhances collaboration
• Understanding change management involves recognizing the complexities behind seemingly simple requests
• Building trust and relationships is crucial for effective change management
• Setting clear expectations can help manage the impact of changes on project timelines
• Communication is key to ensuring all parties are aligned on project goals and change.
• Hitting 100% of deadlines can indicate a lack of ambition in project planning
• Maintaining a record of agreements and changes is essential for accountability
• Teams need to understand the importance of their work to foster intrinsic motivation
• Creating a sense of urgency can help teams stay focused and effective
• It's important to have open conversations about project scope and timelines
• Leaders should strive to reconcile team vision with organizational objectives

Connect with us:

Duncan Mapes

Jason Ehmke

DevGrid.io

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