Maybe I’ll get maligned for saying this, but as someone who’s managed and successfully delivered software projects of all sizes, I’ve become somewhat of a convert to the Scaled Agile Framework. I treat it exactly as intended, as a framework. It’s a strawman to adapt based on context, and what I value most is how it led me to explore deeper source material and form my own conclusions.
Over the years, I’ve learned that true success starts with clearly understanding why you’re building something. Without clear goals, it’s impossible to prioritize or even know where to start. That clarity drives better sequencing, and sometimes the wisdom to not build something at all.
The next critical factor is empathy. You have to see through your customer’s eyes and validate that what you’re building actually solves their problem. That doesn’t mean giving them everything they ask for, but rather understanding their pain points well enough to deliver real value.
Ultimately, most projects go over budget or underdeliver because teams spend too much time building the wrong things. If we instead focused on continually steering toward desired, valuable functionality (things people genuinely want or will pay for), more software projects would appear like successes.
Over the years, I’ve learned that true success starts with clearly understanding why you’re building something. Without clear goals, it’s impossible to prioritize or even know where to start. That clarity drives better sequencing, and sometimes the wisdom to not build something at all.
The next critical factor is empathy. You have to see through your customer’s eyes and validate that what you’re building actually solves their problem. That doesn’t mean giving them everything they ask for, but rather understanding their pain points well enough to deliver real value.
Ultimately, most projects go over budget or underdeliver because teams spend too much time building the wrong things. If we instead focused on continually steering toward desired, valuable functionality (things people genuinely want or will pay for), more software projects would appear like successes.