The Myth of Knowing Everything Upfront in Software Development

TL;DR; You cannot know everything upfront in software development, so focus on continuous discovery and adapt as you learn. Scrum supports this by encouraging just enough planning and design to move forward, then delivering and learning from real use. Prioritise delivery and feedback over excessive upfront design to create more value.

Published on 16 June 2025

Written by Martin Hinshelwood

1 minute read

https://nkdagility.com/resources/Zd6dcWwXJc7

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.

Also published on: LinkedIn

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