The ART of maximizing the amount of work NOT DONE

10th principle behind AGILE manifesto states: ?“Simplicity – the ART of maximizing the amount of work not done – is essential.”

At first this principle is a bit confusing, what comes to mind is completely the opposite; we have always been expected to maximize the work done and minimize work not done. So, what's the what with maximizing work not done?

Take a step back, let's think about how many projects were delayed due to unnecessary complications, rework, creeping features, dependencies, nice to haves, etc... so, what's the benefit of burning capacity to get lot of work done if it's not aligned to the goal or doesn't add value?

That's where this ART is so important, it's indeed an art to maximize value with less work, identifying what's not to be done shifts focus from outputs to outcomes.

Following best practices and concepts can be applied to maximize work not done,

• Minimum Viable Product
• 80/20 Rule - Pareto principle
• Keep it simple
• Eliminate Waste - Lean Thinking
• Limit work in progress
• Reuse not Reinvent
• Prioritization techniques (like MoSCoW- 100 dollar)

To conclude, the focus should also be on doing the right things and not just on doing the things right. The bests of the solutions are those that can be delivered with minimal efforts.