Engineers love to talk about process.

Whether it's how to run a team, the best development methodology, or even the most effective deployments, we are always talking about the “right process.”
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And it makes sense. A process is pretty similar to an algorithm, and many of us write algorithms in the form of computer code all day.
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When projects go wrong or run late, one of the first things to do is scrutinize the process. What handoffs went poorly? Which steps need tighter boundaries? How can we improve this?
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And this is right and good. But I think it misses the point.
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Instead, we should focus on building a culture that will solve the process problem on its own.

Team-Building Exercise

Think back to the last project you worked on that went south. What happened?

• Was it a problem with the requirements?
• A problem with resourcing?
• Was there someone making things too complex?
• Was there someone underestimating the complexity?
• Conflicts within the team?

Now consider: what could you have done to help improve the outcome of that project?

There are small ways you can help get a project back on track without rethinking an entire SDLC or anything like that.
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Instead of avoiding that person who makes things difficult, can you find a way to build common ground on something you both want to see happen in the project?
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Instead of complaining about requirements, can you ask questions to understand why and/or provide alternatives that are more reasonable to you?

Instead of forcing someone to do things your way, can you meet in the middle faster on non-critical issues to keep things moving?

There are instances where you couldn't do much of anything - some things are that way.

But by focusing on building the culture you want as best you can, I think you'll find you can course-correct many projects that go wrong and build a stronger team in the process.
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Here are some more resources from me to help you build better teams!​

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