Manage Your Project Portfolio, 2nd Edition

Measure Obstacles Preventing the Team’s Progress

Sometimes, a team has a zero or low velocity because of obstacles that prevent them from delivering running, tested features. In that case, ask the team to measure those obstacles.

Measuring obstacles might seem like a strange thing to measure. “JR, this team doesn’t have space for a standup meeting. How that heck do I measure that?” But you can measure obstacles. If you’ve asked for space for a standup and you can’t get it, you list the obstacle and how long it has been since you asked for space.

Any time a project team doesn’t get the resources it needs, it won’t be able to deliver the value ...