Agile working: delivering value as the highest priority
Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer by delivering valuable software (or solutions) quickly and repeatedly.
Rini van Solingen wasn't done asking confrontational questions yet:
In which organization is the value of products well placed on the agenda?
Do developers know the value of the backlog items they deliver in a sprint?
Is it measured afterwards whether the expected value is also achieved with the product?
Do you ever discuss with your business controller how to quantify value?
Rini van Solingen at Agile 2020
Every product owner knows that he has to prioritize on value. But how do you do that? Rini came up with a definition of value:
Value is a situational, subjective, time-dependent germany telegram data characteristic of products and services.
Situational: Value depends on the specific situation. In the rain, an umbrella is very valuable. When it is dry, you walk around with it.
Subjective: value cannot be defined the same way for everyone.
Time-dependent: we also know this from start-up theory: you can come up with a great product, but if the timing is not right, it will still not meet the needs of your customers.
That subjective aspect is particularly interesting. Because how do you determine value if a group of stakeholders has to agree on this, but they disagree? Let stakeholders come together for this and let them work together. For example, by letting them vote with poker chips. Your goal is ultimately a supported decision.
How do you prioritize value?
Rini explained using a game how you can quantify effort and value using the 'weighted shortest job first' method . Then you set value and effort against each other. The result of this can be that if something takes a lot of time, you don't do it first. Even if it is valuable. And then something really nice happens. Then you look at how you can do it first anyway. You make it smaller. And in this way you fully comply with this first agile principle. You realize value for your customer and do so as quickly as possible.
