Xmas Special: From Project-Driven to Flow-Driven Software Development in 2025 with Vasco Duarte

In the kickoff episode of the “5 Wishes for 2025” series, Vasco Duarte dives into a topic close to his heart: why managing software like construction projects leads to failure. Drawing on his experience in the Agile community and sharing compelling real-world examples, Vasco introduces a new perspective on how software development should flow, adapt, and continuously deliver value.

Software Development: Stop Building Houses, Start Growing Gardens

“Software is more like a garden than a construction site—continuous care and attention are key to thriving.”

Vasco begins by debunking the myth that software development can be meticulously planned like a construction project. Sharing a story about a failed 18-month software endeavor, he highlights how rigid plans crumble in the face of changing markets. Instead, he advocates for an adaptive, flow-based approach to software development, comparing it to the continuous nurturing required in a garden.

Why Projects Fall Short in Software Development

“You can’t plan your year’s meals in January—why would you try that with software?”

Vasco identifies three critical flaws of project-driven software development:

1. Assumption of Stability: Markets and requirements shift too fast for static plans.

2. Front-loaded Decisions: Early decisions often fail to hold up over time.

3. Artificial Boundaries: Restrictive scopes kill innovation and flexibility.

The Three-Step Framework for Flow-Based Software Development 1. Continuous Delivery

“Software is like a shark—it has to keep moving or it dies.”

Vasco explains how companies can succeed by continuously delivering updates to users. He shares insights from a mobile startup using experiments and feedback loops to keep evolving and delivering measurable value.

2. Incremental Funding

“Fund software like a business, not like a construction project.”

Drawing on ideas from Lean-Agile financial planning, Vasco introduces incremental funding as a smarter way to manage development. He points listeners to a previous episode with experts Maarit Laanti and Rami Sirkia for deeper insights.

3. Goal-Oriented Teams

“Teams need goals, not just backlogs.”

Vasco stresses the importance of giving teams end-to-end ownership of the value they create. The backlog is a tool, but the real focus should be on clear goals that align with business impact. He mentions his OTOG - One-Team-One-Goal blog post. 

Raising Agility to the Portfolio Level

“Flow-based software development lets us make quick, strategic decisions at the portfolio level.”

By embracing continuous delivery, incremental funding, and goal-driven teams, organizations can elevate agility from individual teams to the entire portfolio. Vasco highlights this as a game-changer for modern businesses, enabling quicker, smarter product decisions.

Global Agile Summit 2025 – Don’t Miss Out!

“Join us in Tallinn to see flow-based software delivery in action.”

Vasco invites listeners to the Global Agile Summit 2025, where real-world examples of flow-based development will take center stage. For those listening during the holiday season, there’s a Super Early Bird ticket available with a 75% discount. Visit GlobalAgileSummit.com for details.

About Vasco Duarte

Vasco Duarte is a thought leader in the Agile space, co-founder of Agile Finland, and host of the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast, which has over 10 million downloads. Author of NoEstimates: How To Measure Project Progress Without Estimating, Vasco is a sought-after speaker and consultant helping organizations embrace Agile practices to achieve business success.

You can link with Vasco Duarte on LinkedIn.