Is “Soft Sand” Slowing Down Your Scrum Team?
Relaxing on a beach, lying on the warm, soft sand, listening to the meditative sounds of the ocean waves….. just thinking about that scene can begin to relax even the busiest mind.
But for the active types, there’s no time for lying around when they can be running down the beach, enjoying the ocean breeze as they take in the view. Rather than venturing into the soft sand, runners stay close to the water’s edge, even risking wet shoes caused by the occasional rogue wave. Why? Because the water from the incoming waves firms up the sand, making it easier to run.
Remember the sunbathers lying around in the soft sand? As the afternoon turns to evening, they’ll be less enamored with that same ankle-deep sand as the softness of their footing bogs down each step they take towards the boardwalk, finding themselves exhausted when they finally reach firmer ground.
Product teams often find themselves bogged down by “soft sand” in the form of inefficient business processes, requirements, or operations. Nothing is quick. Everything is a challenge. Even the simplest tasks contain a hidden roadblock, open question, or unnecessary effort.
The term “soft sand” is meant to illustrate the little things in daily work life that aren’t necessarily wrong because they accomplish the goal. But rather than propelling…
