Do you view risks as just obstacles? Here’s why you should be seeing them as opportunities
In product development, risks are often seen as just another obstacle to overcome. But what if you could turn each high-risk item in your project into a potential opportunity?
That’s where the concept of “driving a bus through a wide-open window” comes in
Each high-risk element is like a bus that needs to be driven through an open window of opportunity. The bigger the bus, the bigger the window needs to be
To make risks work for you, it’s crucial to tackle the biggest risks early on. During the earliest stages of development, the window of opportunity is wide open, making it easier to drive the big buses through
But as each day passes, the window closes a little more, and if you don’t find the big buses in your project early, you’ll end up with a disaster at the end, as the metaphorical bus crashes into the nearly closed window
That’s why it’s so important to focus on the highest-risk elements from the very beginning, building them early and validating them with each sprint
By doing this, you can turn risks into opportunities and achieve potentially shippable software with each iteration
So, what are the big buses in your project? How can you drive them through the window of opportunity before it’s too late?
Remember:
- The earlier you address the biggest risks, the better the chance of succeeding with your best ideas
- As each sprint goes by, your window of opportunity becomes smaller and smaller
- By driving the big buses through early on, you can turn risks into opportunities and achieve success in your product development journey.
