"The problem is that we’re trying to have four entirely different conversations at the same time" is indeed what I face most.
I have no problem that all 4 levels are discussed in the same workshop, but it has to go through the different levels step by step, and - in my experience - first and foremost the problem space needs to be clarified way better.
Teams are so rushing into solutioning without even understanding the problem to solve, if it is even a problem to solve...
Hi Maarten, these levels remind me a bit of the V model.
The problem and why it matters = business design
How to solve it = functional design
How to implement = tech design
How to slice the work = work plan
The V model was not wrong, actually, as all these four levels matter. The V model then just turned it into a mess by separating the people who were doing this design work rather than letting them collaborate.
Thinking about it, all that makes a lot sense for me. Thanks for that article.
The overlap is that you should go through all four levels starting at the top and the difference is that then you should stop seeing them linearly but as a complex system where one tiny detail can have a big impact on something else.
"The problem is that we’re trying to have four entirely different conversations at the same time" is indeed what I face most.
I have no problem that all 4 levels are discussed in the same workshop, but it has to go through the different levels step by step, and - in my experience - first and foremost the problem space needs to be clarified way better.
Teams are so rushing into solutioning without even understanding the problem to solve, if it is even a problem to solve...
Strong article.
As a facilitator, I would regularly ask:
"What level of abstraction are we discussing right now?"
"Are we talking about the problem, the solution, or the implementation?"
In my experience, many refinement discussions become difficult simply because people are unknowingly operating on different abstraction levels.
Hi Maarten, these levels remind me a bit of the V model.
The problem and why it matters = business design
How to solve it = functional design
How to implement = tech design
How to slice the work = work plan
The V model was not wrong, actually, as all these four levels matter. The V model then just turned it into a mess by separating the people who were doing this design work rather than letting them collaborate.
Thinking about it, all that makes a lot sense for me. Thanks for that article.
Nice connection, I didn't have that realization.
The overlap is that you should go through all four levels starting at the top and the difference is that then you should stop seeing them linearly but as a complex system where one tiny detail can have a big impact on something else.