How to Avoid the Blind Men and the Elephant Syndrome in Agile Projects
One of the most common challenges in agile projects is to ensure that everyone has a clear and shared understanding of the project’s goals, scope, and requirements. Often, different stakeholders have different perspectives and expectations about the same thing, depending on their roles, backgrounds, and experiences. This can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and wasted efforts, which can jeopardize the project’s success.
This situation can be compared to the ancient story of the blind men and the elephant, which is a metaphor that illustrates the importance of perspective and collaboration in a project. The story goes like this:
A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: “We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable”. So, they sought it out, and when they found it they groped about it. In the case of the first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said “This being is like a thick snake”. For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk. The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said, “elephant is a wall”. Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.
The moral of the story is that each blind man had a partial and incomplete view of the elephant, based on their limited experience and knowledge. They could not agree on what the elephant was like, and they argued with each other, thinking that they were right and the others were wrong. They failed to realize that they were all touching the same animal, but from different angles and positions. They also failed to communicate and collaborate with each other, to share their findings and learn from each other’s perspectives.
How can we avoid the blind men and the elephant syndrome in agile projects? Here are some tips and techniques that can help:
Use user stories to capture the different perspectives and needs of the users and customers
User stories are short and simple descriptions of the features and functionalities of the product from the user’s point of view. They help to define the value and the outcome of the product, and to verify that they meet the expectations and requirements of the user. User stories are like the descriptions of the elephant by the blind men, who represent the different personas and roles in the project. User stories help to avoid assumptions and ambiguities, and to create a common language and understanding among the stakeholders.
Use acceptance criteria and definition of done to define the quality and completeness of the product increment.
Acceptance criteria are the specific and measurable conditions that must be met for a user story to be considered done. Definition of done is the shared and agreed-upon set of standards that apply to all user stories in a project. They help to ensure that the product increment is delivered with the expected quality and functionality, and that it meets the user’s needs and satisfaction. Acceptance criteria and definition of done are like the measurements and tests that can be used to verify the shape and form of the elephant, and to avoid discrepancies and defects.
Use feedback loops and retrospectives to inspect and adapt the product and the process.
Feedback loops are the mechanisms that enable the stakeholders to provide and receive feedback on the product increment and the project progress. Retrospectives are the sessions that enable the team to reflect and improve on their performance and collaboration. They help to ensure that the product and the process are aligned with the changing needs and expectations of the users and customers, and that they deliver the maximum value and benefit. Feedback loops and retrospectives are like the conversations and discussions that can be used to share and learn from the different perspectives and experiences of the blind men, and to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings.
By using these tips and techniques, we can avoid the blind men and the elephant syndrome in agile projects, and create a clear and shared understanding of the project’s goals, scope, and requirements. We can also foster a culture of communication and collaboration among the stakeholders, and promote a mindset of learning and adaptation in our agile projects. This way, we can ensure that we deliver a product that is not only like an elephant, but also like a unicorn: unique, valuable, and delightful.
