How to Tackle Changes in Project Management

Ever burned yourself or your team with too many changes at once? It’s a surefire way to fail. One instance where we got this right is this YouTube channel. The team behind it iterates on every change, but never takes on too much at once.

My name is Till Carlos, and I’m a technical product manager. On this channel, I document how my software teams become more effective.

The Power of Limiting Change

Lessons from Digital Nomads

When I started my journey as a digital nomad, I observed various entrepreneurs launching online businesses. A key pattern emerged among the successful ones: they limited the potential changes they introduced.

Dropshippers exemplified this perfectly. They essentially copied 90% of an existing business model, innovating only in the final 10% - their product selection.

A Cautionary Tale from Software Development

In one ambitious project, we decided to start from scratch - new Rails app, new packages, the works. We thought, “Why not do it right from the start?”

This approach backfired spectacularly:

• Each new package introduced unexpected deployment and support challenges
• Team members learned new technologies at varying paces
• Packages didn’t integrate as seamlessly as anticipated

Similarly, I’ve seen product managers fall into this trap:

• Pushing for new usability features
• Demanding fresh designs
• Adding functionalities absent in the original app we were rebuilding

The Cost of Change

It’s crucial to understand: you can’t change everything simultaneously while maintaining speed. Change always comes at a cost, usually in terms of velocity.

• Improving an existing feature? Great, but it might delay other planned developments.
• Coding something new? Expect to introduce some technical debt that’ll need addressing later.
• Implementing new UX? Don’t expect perfection on the first iteration.

The Solution: Change Stacking

I recently experimented with a 21-day habit stacking challenge. The core principle? Introduce only ONE change at a time. This concept translates remarkably well to software development.

A System for Team Alignment

1. Facilitate easy change: Prioritize building robust infrastructure first.
2. Visualize the end goal: Clearly define the desired outcome and necessary changes.
3. Implement incrementally: Focus on one change at a time, measuring results as you go.

By adopting this approach, teams can navigate complex projects more effectively, balancing innovation with stability and speed.

What’s your experience with managing change in software projects? Have you tried a similar incremental approach? Share your thoughts in the comments below.