Meeting real deadlines is a hard and stressful job. It’s a job that typically eats all resources available, because when we know exactly what the best way is, we want to go full steam ahead. After all, we want to utilize our full productivity. Except that we typically do not know the best way. We know a way and we get comfortable with it.

While the status quo can be comfortable, it is certainly not perfect. There always is something to improve. However, when entrenched in a routine we typically have no clue of what that something is and how to improve it.

How can we rethink the situation? How can we find that something?

As you might know, I spent some time in research. Research is a fascinating environment because it challenges you to challenge the status quo. If you do not do it, someone else will.

During this experience, I noticed a handful of techniques that do not depend on the topic:

• Always question the status quo, even when it appears perfect.
• Never stop researching, even when it is not in the job description.
• Identify the wrong assumptions, especially when they are obvious.
• Demo your ideas, even when they seem hard to implement.
• Listen, even when you do not agree.

Why should we care about this? Because it affects everything we do, including the design of our software system, understanding our clients’ requirements, or managing our team. And because the solution is simpler and cheaper than we might think.

I will give a talk about this topic at the SCRUM Breakfast in Bern on June 30, starting with 08:00.