Development Execution and Methodologies

Development execution and methodologies refer to the processes and techniques used to guide the development of a product or feature. This includes selecting and implementing a development methodology (such as Agile, Scrum, Linear Method, or Waterfall), coordinating with the development team, tracking progress, and managing issues and changes. The goal is to ensure that the development process is efficient, effective, and aligned with the product requirements and business objectives.

While there’s multiple types and iterations of these methodologies, it’s important to note that the best version is the one that everyone on the team can get behind and execute effectively. If there’s no structure in place, generally it’s recommended to follow Agile “by the book” and reassess over time by adjusting or removing parts of the methodology that don’t work for your team. If you’re looking for a more modern approach, I recommend you give the Linear Method a try, which is by the project management tool called Linear.

Example

Let's continue with the professional networking example. After finalizing the PRD and designs for the "Enhanced Job Filtering" feature mentioned in the “Designing The Feature” section, the PM now needs to guide the development of this feature. Their team uses the Agile methodology, which allows for iterative development and frequent feedback. This methodology allows the team to quickly test different filtering options and adjust based on user feedback.

The Product Manager works closely with the development team to break down the various aspects of the feature from the PRD and design into smaller, manageable tasks, which are then organized into epics and sprints. An epic is a large body of work that can be broken down into a number of smaller tasks, or stories. For example, there might be an epic focused on updating the website interface to work with the new search functionality and a second epic to update the backend to search the database using the new filters.

Sprints are typically two weeks long, which is long enough for a developer to finish a meaningful amount of work and short enough to be able to commit fully to completing the outlined task. Depending on the size and complexity of the feature, it could take multiple sprints to complete all of the engineering tasks required to finish.

For the “Enhanced Job Filtering” feature, it would be divided into 2 epics and take a total of 3 sprints (or 6 weeks). The team would then have a code complete version of the feature that would be tested and reviewed.

Throughout the development process, the Product Manager attends daily stand-up meetings with the team to track progress, address issues, and make necessary adjustments. As a team, they use tools like Linear or Jira to manage tasks and track progress, and Slack for communication.

At this point, the PRD is generally considered to be stale and the source-of-truth is within the engineering tasks and designs. Though the PRD will likely have the best explanation of the core problem being solved.

Pain Points

Coordinating the development process can be challenging, especially when dealing with complex features or tight deadlines. It requires effective communication, problem-solving skills, and the ability to adapt to changes. Selecting the right development methodology and using it effectively is also crucial, as it can significantly impact the speed and quality of development.

Practical Exercise

Think about a product or feature you want to develop. How would you break down the development process into manageable tasks?

Related Research Topics

• Agile development methodology [ Google | Perplexity ]
• ShapeUp [ Google | Perplexity ]
• Scrum [ Google | Perplexity ]
• Kanban [ Google | Perplexity ]
• Waterfall [ Google | Perplexity ]
• The Linear Method [ Google | Perplexity ]
• Code Complete [ Google | Perplexity ]
• Definition of Done in software engineering [ Google | Perplexity ]