Information radiators that help leaders and the team understand the status of the sprint and project

Sample Solution

Smell: "Too Many Cards in Progress (WIP)"

One common smell identified through the Taskboard in Azure DevOps (or any DevOps tool suite) is "Too Many Cards in Progress (WIP)". This occurs when the team has an excessive number of tasks actively being worked on at any given time.

Why it goes against best practices:

• Reduced Focus: Having too many tasks in progress can lead to context switching and reduced focus, as team members juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. This can decrease efficiency and increase the likelihood of errors.
• Impediments and Bottlenecks: A large WIP limit can mask impediments and bottlenecks within the team. When many tasks are ongoing, it becomes difficult to identify where work is getting stuck, hindering timely problem-solving and flow optimization.
• Unrealistic Expectations and Missed Deadlines: With too many tasks in progress, it becomes challenging to accurately estimate workloads and set realistic deadlines. This can lead to missed deadlines, frustrated stakeholders, and a loss of team morale.

Full Answer Section

Example:

Imagine a team working on a sprint with a capacity of 10 tasks. However, the Taskboard shows 20 tasks currently marked as "In Progress." This indicates that the team has exceeded their WIP limit.

Negative consequences:

• Team members might struggle to complete any tasks effectively due to constant context switching.
• Bottlenecks might go unnoticed, hindering progress and delaying delivery.
• Deadlines might be missed, causing frustration and impacting project delivery timelines.

Solutions:

• Implement a WIP limit: Define a reasonable WIP limit based on team capacity and adjust it based on experience.
• Prioritize tasks: Focus on completing high-priority tasks first and limit the number of tasks actively worked on at any given time.
• Regularly review the Taskboard: Conduct regular stand-up meetings or backlog refinement sessions to review the Taskboard, identify bottlenecks, and adjust workflow as needed.

By addressing the "Too Many Cards in Progress" smell, teams can improve their focus, identify and address issues more effectively, and ultimately deliver projects more efficiently and effectively, adhering to the principles of Professional Scrum.