Why Your Team Has Slowed Down, Why That's Worse than You Think, and How to Fix It

Do you ever pine for the good old days, when you and your team just got things done, and features practically flew out the door? Then I have bad news for you: the slowdown you've experienced as your team has grown isn't just frustrating--it's hugely (but often invisibly) expensive, and maddeningly resistant to your attempts to reverse it. In this talk I'll zoom in on how and why engineering teams slow down. I'll approach the problem from an economic angle, demonstrating how well-meant but misguided attempts to manage costs in the face of slowdowns can death-spiral into worse delays with deadly (but hidden) economic consequences. I'll also discuss some strategies for smart investment that can break this vicious cycle and help your team start moving faster again (including tactics for that all-important job of selling those investments to the Powers that Be).