The Art of Slicing Work: How To Navigate Unpredictable Projects

Benefits of Agile Methodology

In the world of business and in that of delivering results when projects and their results are unpredictable, ââ?¬Å"The Art of Slicing Workââ?¬Â? by Anton Skornyakov is an interesting entry-level volume teaching readers how to use the Agile methodology.

Mr. Skornyakov�s book discusses this methodology, which has been around since the early 2000s. Agile methodology is a way of working that came about due to the need for a more flexible and collaborative approach in software development. It stresses iterative teams that deliver results in short cycles (often over a few weeks), which then receive customer feedback, and are further refined, using the same process. This methodology is currently prized because it is seen to allow adaptation to change and can provide continuous and rapid improvements to the product.

It works well for complex projects that are essentially�unpredictable.

This is especially true in software development. However, unpredictability in our modern world also reigns in many other areas, too. Anton gives examples such as companies that are striving to respond to changing government regulations that affect their products. In one of his case studies, a company did months of preparation for a specific scenario, only for unintended setbacks to occur during implementation, which negated all the time already spent on preparation. Don�t we all have similar experiences, either in our businesses or in our personal lives?

The content that Mr. Skornyakov presents to us is a step-by-step explanation of the basic processes of Agile methodology. Some of the many items covered are:

What is Slicing work?

Slicing is the ability to break down your project into very small parts, or milestones, that you can deliver within a few weeks. These milestones aren�t arbitrary. Each is focused on creating a result that can be tested in the real world, allowing you to provide your team members with meaningful feedback. The team is then able to deliver valuable parts of the project over time, which reduces risk.

The starting point, he further advises, is focusing on the highest-risk aspects of the project. He also advises that surprises will occur. Because of this knowledge, he stresses that highly detailed planning is no longer the way. In fact, it is a waste of time that could be better used getting to work faster, learning, and adapting.

He then presents the basic principles of vertical and horizontal slicing (a vertical slice is the RESULT, or one of the results of the projects, and horizontal slices are the many STEPS required to achieve each result.) He also uses case studies and teaches further principles that cover feedback and teams in slicing work, and in then implementing the processes.

Regarding Mr. Skornyakov�s book, I learned a lot. The layout of the book is simple and inviting. Clear illustrations accompany the text and convey the basic ideas, and there is a lot of information here.

I found the book interesting and eagerly approached the content. However, I didn�t find it easy to understand, at first or second reading. That may be because of my newbie status. I do find though, that when presenting new methodologies to someone not versed in them, a text can benefit from very simply spelling out the application of the concepts in the examples that are used, i.e., making the connections clear. It may seem like overkill to do this, yet many new learners can find this step important to their understanding. It�s also helpful to then repeat key points, as well as to summarize often.

However, it�s clear the author understands Agile methodology well, and once you do get his points, you can then move on to the next section and stack your learning. With a notable time investment, the concepts did become clear.

How can the concepts in this book help you, the reader?

A basic understanding of this methodology will benefit anyone simply in understanding how businesses useâ�"or can useâ�"this interesting process. Further, it can be applied not only to large commercial enterprises and their various segments but even to small businesses that are struggling to gain a foothold with admittedly unpredictable projects. Once I understood it, I saw the benefits of Agile methodology in many areas.

Personally, I�m looking forward to doing that myself.

While ââ?¬Å"The Art of Slicing Workââ?¬Â? by Anton Skornyakov pulls aside the curtain and provides a peek to this interesting business process, it also opens the door to further exploration and application. For anyone curious about the practical uses of this methodology in real-world scenarios, itââ?¬â?¢s worth diving in and seeing how these concepts can be adapted to your own projects and challenges.