Uberflow integrates the concept of Milestones to denote significant events or checkpoints within the project timeline. These checkpoints could represent the completion of a substantial portion of work or the expected delivery date of an important deliverable.
However, unlike other methodologies such as Scrum that tightly bind milestones to Sprints or phases and often have artificial deadlines, Uberflow advocates a less stringent, more fluid approach. Milestones in Uberflow signify considerable progress in the project rather than rigid time-boxing, fostering a continuous flow of work.
Furthermore, a unique aspect of Uberflow's milestones is that they can remain undated for various reasons or have a due date, providing the necessary flexibility. The team may also work towards multiple milestones concurrently, such as "next product release" and "experimental feature demo", allowing for multiple threads of progress.
Milestone durations can vary but ideally should not exceed six weeks for reasons including smaller, more manageable releases, and enhanced team satisfaction.
Here's how Milestones function within the Uberflow framework:
1. Establishing Milestones: At the project outset or during an Epic's planning phase, the team, along with the Project Navigator, sets key Milestones relevant to the Epic. These could relate to business objectives, client deadlines, or the completion of certain sets of Work Items.
2. Prioritizing Work Items: Work Items are then organized and prioritized according to these Milestones. The objective is to finish a specific batch of Work Items contributing to a Milestone.
3. Monitoring Progress: As the project progresses, the team uses Milestones as benchmarks to gauge progress. Regular Sync-ups and Project Navigator reports frequently include updates about progress towards the upcoming Milestone.
4. Celebration and Reflection: Upon reaching a Milestone, it's a moment for the team to celebrate the accomplishment and reflect on the journey. This celebration is a key part of Uberflow's continuous learning and improvement ethos. It's an opportune moment to conduct a Happiness Check-in, learn from experiences, and apply this learning to upcoming Work Items and Milestones.
In conclusion, this approach to Milestones keeps the team aligned towards achieving meaningful outcomes, provides clear goals, and offers opportunities for acknowledging victories, all without the strict confines of time-boxed Sprints.