Load Creep
In project management, we often talk about scope creep, but I'd like to coin a new term: Load Creep.
Load Creep noun
The gradual increase in a team's ongoing maintenance and operational workload as new features or components are added to a project or system without corresponding adjustments in workload distribution or management strategy.
“Our team is struggling with load creep due to the maintenance demands of those new features we've recently added.”
Imagine team capacity as a box; our domain must fit neatly inside. Every new feature, every extra dependency, expands that domain. Without careful management, the domain can exceed the box's limits, leading to breakdowns and inefficiencies.
My concern is that it's easy to manage one's domain when things are working smoothly, but domain size can really catch us off guard when multiple elements start breaking at once. So, how do we avoid getting caught off guard?
- Measure the Domain Size: This is tough, but even a fuzzy number as a key indicator can help discussions around the issue.
- Assess Team Capacity: Once you have this, you can compare the two numbers and make informed decisions about taking on an expanded domain.
- Focus! Narrow down which parts of the domain must fit in the team capacity box. The requests and features that don't make it in can be leveraged to expand the team or even spin up a new one. (Thanks for this one, David!)
Tracking load creep can help a team be more efficient and productive. It allows the team time to maintain existing tools and explore new opportunities, ultimately leading to happier developers, managers, and leadership alike.