Why a shorter Sprint will not make you more Agile

Focus on how fast you can deliver something of value

I believe it is human to base our decisions on incorrect assumptions. Too often, we blindly copy concepts that have been successful for others hoping it will bring the same success to us.

For example, many have tried to mimic Toyota’s success by copying their factory machines or “ceremonies” without understanding that the culture and mindset created the victory. I remember a story where a Toyota blueprint for a machine was stolen. A journalist asked if Toyota would not be worried that other car manufacturers now could copy their device and have the same success. The answer from Toyota boils down to what it is all about. The answer was something along the lines of:

I am not worried at all that they have stolen the blueprints. By the time they have understood how to build the machine and operate it, we will already have made so many improvements in our processes and to the machine that we will still be far ahead.

So what does this story have to do with Sprint length? Here it is — I hear people shallowly discuss the perfect Sprint length on pods and social media, and it bothers me. From the discussions, there seems to be a belief that having a shorter Sprint length will automagically make you more…