Not All Surprises Are True Unknowns
Many product development surprises stem from poor backlog management, not true unknowns. Regular refinement and reflection help teams anticipate and …
Software development thrives on continuous discovery and adaptation; upfront planning can’t predict everything. Embrace uncertainty, deliver iteratively, and learn as you go.
One of the biggest fallacies in software is the belief that you can know everything upfront. That’s why some teams try to carve out “Design Sprints” to feel more in control.
But real product development doesn’t work like that. Discovery is continuous. Ideas evolve. Assumptions break. Value emerges through use.
That’s why Scrum embraces uncertainty. Refinement is your chance to explore future work just enough to be ready, without wasting time planning things that might never happen.
Build just enough design to support delivery. Then deliver. Get telemetry. Learn. Repeat.
If you’re spending more time designing than delivering, you’re likely optimising the wrong part of the system.
Each classification [Concepts, Categories, & Tags] was assigned using AI-powered semantic analysis and scored across relevance, depth, and alignment. Final decisions? Still human. Always traceable. Hover to see how it applies.
If you've made it this far, it's worth connecting with our principal consultant and coach, Martin Hinshelwood, for a 30-minute 'ask me anything' call.
We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.
YearUp.org
Illumina
Jack Links
Sage
Schlumberger
Hubtel Ghana
Brandes Investment Partners L.P.
Deliotte
Lockheed Martin
Capita Secure Information Solutions Ltd
Big Data for Humans
Slaughter and May
ProgramUtvikling
New Signature
Milliman
Bistech
Qualco
Xceptor - Process and Data Automation
Washington Department of Enterprise Services
Royal Air Force
New Hampshire Supreme Court
Washington Department of Transport
Ghana Police Service
Department of Work and Pensions (UK)
Flowmaster (a Mentor Graphics Company)
Kongsberg Maritime
Capita Secure Information Solutions Ltd
Qualco
Slicedbread
Deliotte