• Agile & Scrum Basics

What is short-cycle working and what are its advantages and disadvantages?

Short-cycle working is a popular approach for organizations that want to be agile, fast, and continuously improve. But what exactly does short-cycle working entail, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of this approach? We’ll explain that to you in this article.

What is short-cycle working?

Short-cycle work means that teams work in short, fixed periods to deliver working products or parts of them. These periods are called sprints and usually last one to four weeks. Within these short cycles, the focus is on delivering valuable results that are immediately useful to the customer. Agile methodologies, such as Scrum, are perfect examples of short-cycle work. In Scrum, teams work in sprints of usually two weeks to complete and present a piece of the product to customers and stakeholders each time.

Benefits of short-cycle working

1. Rapid feedback and continuous improvement

Short-cycle working provides a fast feedback loop. Teams receive regular feedback from stakeholders and users and incorporate it directly into the next sprint. The product continuously improves and increasingly aligns with customer wants and needs.

2. Greater flexibility

Short-cycle working gives teams the flexibility to respond quickly to change. Instead of being stuck with a long-term project plan, teams reprioritize after each sprint based on the latest insights. This provides a dynamic approach that is essential in a rapidly changing marketplace, where customer needs and technological developments are constantly shifting.

3. Better risk management

By working in short cycles, risks come to light quickly. Problems are addressed and resolved immediately, reducing the likelihood of major failures.

4. Increased motivation and engagement

Short-cycle work keeps the team on its toes. Thanks to the regular delivery of tangible results, team members immediately see the impact of their work. This increases motivation and makes the work more meaningful. It also creates a closer working relationship within the team because everyone is working toward the same goal within a short period of time.

These are the disadvantages of short-cycle work

1. Possible overload

Short-cycle work requires continuous results within a short period of time, which leads to (over)load on the team. Without proper planning and moments of rest, team members become exhausted, which naturally harms productivity and quality in the long run.

2. Focus on short term

The emphasis on delivering results within short cycles sometimes leads to a heavy focus on short-term goals at the expense of the bigger picture. So it is important to strike a balance between short-term and long-term goals.

3. Complicated coordination

On larger projects or in organizations with multiple teams, coordinating short-cycle work requires extra attention. Aligning various teams and ensuring consistent communication requires a careful approach to avoid confusion or miscommunication.

Conclusion

Short-cycle working offers great benefits, such as quick feedback, increased flexibility, better risk management and increased motivation within teams. The challenges, such as overload, focus on short-term goals and complex coordination, require good balance, clear communication and careful planning within the team.

At Scrum Academy, we help organizations implement short-cycle working effectively, so they respond faster and better to market changes. Want to know more? Get in touch with us!