Redefining Leadership: Weekly Sprint — Reshaping QE Ops
"Kanban is too rushed, while a 2-week sprint feels too long," I once said to my supervisor, sparking the idea that led to a new approach in QE Ops.
Monday: Kickstart the Week
We kick off the week on Monday with Sprint Planning, where we gather, set our goals, and break down tasks like a well-oiled machine. We also sneak in some Mini Grooming to refine user stories and prep for what’s ahead. To top it off, we dive into Version Releases & Draft Versioning, ensuring we’re all set to deliver awesome results.
Tuesday to Friday: Keeping It Flowing
From Tuesday to Friday, we keep the momentum going with async daily reports via chat, keeping everyone in the loop and making sure we're all on track. Our trusty bot gives us a friendly nudge to stay accountable! In between, we jump into code reviews, offering feedback and celebrating the good stuff as we keep improving together.
Wednesday: Midweek Power-Up
On Wednesday, it’s ISP (Intensive Showcase Pairing) time! We come together to tackle the week’s trickiest challenges, learn from each other, and celebrate the cool solutions we’ve come up with. It’s all about collaboration and having fun while we do it.
Thursday: Leveling Up
Thursday is our L&D (Learning and Development) day! We dive into new skills, explore fresh ideas, and fuel our curiosity. Whether it’s learning something new or picking up a fun fact, we make sure to stay sharp and grow, all while having a good time.
Friday: Wrapping It Up
By Friday, we’re ready to wrap up the sprint! If it’s an even sprint, we do a sign-off for Daily Monitoring Production and make sure everything’s running smoothly. And after all the hard work, we celebrate the progress we’ve made together!
Once a month, on Wednesday, we hold an Ops Retrospective—our time to reflect, learn, and fine-tune how we work, all while sharing laughs and insights along the way.
The Plus Side:
Increased Focus and Agility: Weekly sprints help maintain high focus and quick adaptability. The short cycle allows the team to pivot quickly when new information arises, ensuring we stay on top of evolving priorities.
Faster Feedback Loops: With the rapid pace, we can gather feedback sooner, allowing us to address any issues or improvements almost immediately, preventing delays and keeping the quality high.
Clear Progress Tracking: The weekly cadence makes it easy to track progress in real-time, helping us stay motivated and celebrate small wins consistently.
The Minus Side:
Can Feel Rushed: The fast pace of weekly sprints can sometimes create a sense of urgency, leaving little time for deeper focus on complex tasks. This may lead to rushed work and a sense of burnout if not managed well.
Less Room for Deep Work: With only a week to execute, more complex, strategic tasks might get fragmented, making it harder to engage in deep, uninterrupted work that could drive greater innovation or long-term value.
Higher Overhead: The frequent planning, reviewing, and adapting can increase the overhead, sometimes making the process feel like it takes more time and effort than it saves in terms of productivity.
At the end of the day, weekly sprints strike the perfect balance between speed and flexibility, keeping teams agile and focused on what matters most. While it can sometimes feel a bit rushed and doesn’t always allow for deep work, the fast feedback loops, continuous improvement, and sense of progress each week make it ideal for teams that thrive on momentum and adaptability. It’s a process that fuels excitement, drives learning, and keeps pushing us forward.
Weekly sprints: staying fast, staying focused, and moving forward, one week at a time. — MperMperPisang
