1. Finish designing as close to the end of a sprint as possible

    Image from matthewstrom.com on 2020-09-10 at 1.48.03 PM.jpeg

    The traditional process of delivering design, vs. delivering design just in time.

    Designers are often working at least one sprint ahead of engineers. While one sprint might not seem like much of a lag, a typical product team learns a lot after the design hand-off. ...Instead of working ahead, we should finish designing as close to the end of a sprint as possible: just-in-time design.

  2. Just-in-time manufacturing

    Get embedded in the team. Designers should use sprint planning, grooming, standup, and retro as opportunities to provide design to — and receive feedback from — the rest of the team. Designs can take the form of written or verbal descriptions, not just wireframes and high-fidelity mockups.

    Only design what’s needed. Use constant communication between engineering and product partners to understand what your collaborators will need next. Then, plan on delivering only what is needed, and nothing more. Use the agile process — grooming, planning, and retro — to find any shortfalls or excesses.

    Avoid creating a backlog of designs. Designs don’t age well. In the time between finishing design and shipping code, it’s likely that you’ll learn something new that changes your understanding. If you’re producing more design than can be implemented, focus more on the quality of each design.

    We can apply JIT to design by following some of the key principles outlined by Mehran Sepehri in Just in Time, Not Just in Japan.