Practice: Embedding Habits That Drive Continuous Team Improvement

Practice refers to consistent, repeatable techniques or habits that teams use to enhance their effectiveness, collaboration, and delivery of value. Unlike methods, which are structured approaches with defined steps, practices focus on habits that can be incorporated into a team’s regular workflow.

In Agile, Lean, and DevOps environments, practices like Pair Programming, Continuous Deployment, and Retrospectives are foundational. They are not one-time actions but ongoing, systematic routines that enable teams to work together efficiently and continually improve.

For example, Pair Programming is a practice where two developers collaborate closely to write code. This not only improves code quality but also facilitates knowledge sharing and team collaboration. Similarly, Retrospectives are a practice where teams reflect on their work processes to identify opportunities for improvement, making them a key tool for continuous improvement.

While tools may facilitate practices, they are not the practice itself. For example, a Kanban board is a tool used to support the practice of visualising work and managing flow, but the practice itself is in how the team manages their workflow using the board. Similarly, a method like Test-Driven Development (TDD) provides a structured process, while TDD practices are the consistent habits or routines (e.g., writing tests before code) that support its execution.

The long-term value of practices lies in their ability to embed behaviours that lead to predictable, sustainable outcomes. For instance, the practice of Continuous Deployment enables teams to release software frequently and reliably, thus enhancing responsiveness to customer needs and increasing feedback cycles.

What sets practices apart is that they are adaptable and evolve with the team. As teams grow and their environment changes, their practices adapt to new challenges and improve over time. This adaptability is essential in the fast-paced, ever-changing environments where Agile, Lean, and DevOps thrive.

In summary, practices are the backbone of effective teamwork. They are the daily actions, routines, and habits that shape how teams collaborate, improve, and deliver value. By cultivating strong practices, organisations can enhance team performance, drive continuous improvement, and remain responsive to both internal and external demands.