In this episode of Good Intentions and Bad Outcomes, hosts Gino and Wayne explore how product demos and sprint reviews, while well-intentioned, can sometimes lead to counterproductive outcomes in agile teams.

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction
0:43 - Wayne introduces the topic of product demos and sprint reviews
1:32 - The good intentions behind product demos
2:16 - When demos become counterproductive
3:43 - Teams turning demos into elaborate productions
5:17 - The "no code check-ins before demo" problem
7:16 - The "fake demo" with screenshots instead of working software
9:21 - Solution 1: Clarify the true purpose of demos
11:03 - Solution 2: Show what you've done without extra preparation
11:44 - Solution 3: Drop PowerPoint and use your existing tools
13:00 - A success story: How a technical demo led to project simplification
15:01 - Solution 4: Don't wait for perfect software to demo
16:17 - Conclusion and invitation for listener stories

Wayne and Gino discuss how sprint reviews and product demos, while intended to showcase progress and gather feedback, can sometimes become elaborate productions that waste development time or turn into competitive performances between teams. They share real examples of teams spending days preparing for demos, creating presentation decks instead of showing actual software, and prohibiting code check-ins before demos to avoid potential issues.

The hosts offer practical alternatives including:
- Reminding everyone that demos are primarily for feedback, not performances
- Showing actual working software rather than presentations or screenshots
- Eliminating extra preparation by simply demonstrating what's been completed
- Building confidence to demo work-in-progress features for earlier feedback
- Using existing tools (Jira, wikis) instead of creating separate presentations

If you've experienced situations where well-intended workplace processes have backfired, share your story for a chance to be featured in an upcoming episode!

Contact us at feedback@goodintentionsbadoutcomes.org

In this episode of Good Intentions and Bad Outcomes, hosts Gino and Wayne explore how organizations' well-intentioned financial approval processes can lead to unexpected negative consequences.

Wayne shares a real-world example of a project where financial justification documents were created with manufactured numbers to satisfy process requirements rather than reflect reality. They discuss how this common practice can lead to poor resource allocation, wasted time creating meaningless documentation, and potentially harmful business decisions.

The hosts offer practical alternatives including:

• Implementing shorter funding cycles with regular benefit verification
• Expanding the definition of "value" beyond just monetary returns
• Using throughput accounting instead of traditional cost accounting
• Creating metrics that don't solely focus on headcount reduction

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In this episode of "Good Intentions, Bad Outcomes," Gino Marckx and Wayne Hetherington expose the hidden costs of constantly shifting priorities before completing work. Discover why this well-intentioned practice secretly destroys team productivity and morale, and learn practical strategies to break the cycle of never finishing work.

Learn why two-thirds of work often sits permanently "in progress," how constant switching creates codebase complexity, and the devastating impact on team motivation. Perfect for product managers, team leads, executives, and anyone struggling with the "shiny new feature" syndrome that prevents teams from delivering real value.

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In this episode, Gino Marckx and Wayne Hetherington explore why organizing teams around technical components creates dependencies that slow down your entire organization.

Discover:

• Why component teams introduce crippling dependencies
• How "islands of knowledge" become serious bottlenecks
• The hidden costs of teams protecting "their territory"
• Practical steps to break down silos without reorganizing everything
• Why self-service platforms and cross-team collaboration work

Perfect for technical leaders, project managers, and architects struggling with cross-team dependencies!

#ComponentTeams #OrganizationalDesign #TeamStructure #ConwaysLaw

Contact us at feedback@goodintentionsbadoutcomes.org

Is your organization spreading people too thin across multiple teams? In this revealing episode, Hino and Wayne expose how the well-intentioned practice of assigning people to multiple teams is DESTROYING productivity and team ownership! 😱

🔥 You'll discover:

• Why your team members are stuck in ENDLESS standups with nothing to report
• The shocking productivity loss from constant context switching between teams
• How assigning scarce resources across multiple teams actually REINFORCES knowledge silos
• The real reason your "resource optimization" is causing project delays
• Why team members assigned to multiple projects feel like "fifth wheels" instead of valued contributors

📱 SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week that reveal the workplace practices secretly sabotaging your success!

Contact us at feedback@goodintentionsbadoutcomes.org

🔍 Ever been measured on KPIs that made you game the system? In this eye-opening episode about performance measurement mistakes, Gino Marckx and Wayne Hetherington reveal how your well-intentioned metrics might be DESTROYING team accountability and causing serious productivity issues! 😱

🔥 You'll discover:
- Why tracking sprint velocity and story points might be HURTING your project
- The shocking ways teams manipulate agile metrics to look good
- How performance measurements designed for accountability actually DESTROY team ownership
- The ONE question to ask before implementing any KPI or measurement system
- Why managers are completely WASTING TIME with metrics that don't align with organizational goals

📱 SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week that reveal the workplace practices secretly sabotaging your success!

Learn more about alternatives to velocity tracking and preventing metric manipulation on our website: https://xodiac.ca/

Contact us at feedback@goodintentionsbadoutcomes.org

Welcome to the first episode of "Good Intentions and Bad Outcomes", featuring hosts Gino Marckx and Wayne Hetherington. In this first episode, dive into the nuanced world of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and explore how workplace challenges arise when good intentions don't always lead to the desired outcomes.

Join Gino and Wayne as they examine the common pitfalls of using performance targets as key results, a practice that can inadvertently pull teams away from their core objectives. This episode offers valuable insights into how setting performance targets might impact team motivation and why it often results in maintaining the status quo rather than fostering growth and innovation.

Key discussion points include:

• The foundational purpose of OKRs and their role in enhancing team motivation.
• Strategies to set effective stretch goals that push teams beyond mediocrity.
• Leadership approaches to cultivating a more autonomous and engaged team environment.
• Practical alternatives to traditional performance targets for improved alignment and success.

Be part of this insightful conversation and learn how to transform good intentions into impactful outcomes. We also encourage you to share your own workplace challenges or OKR experiences for discussion in future episodes.

Tune in and let's turn your good intentions into great achievements!

Contact us at feedback@goodintentionsbadoutcomes.org

Is there such a thing as too much planning? Listen to what John and Gino have to say about this.

Contact us at feedback@goodintentionsbadoutcomes.org