Moving from Estimation to Appetite: A Practical Guide to Transitioning Your Team

Shifting from traditional estimation to an appetite-based planning approach can feel like a significant change for teams and stakeholders alike. While estimation relies on calculating precise timelines, appetite planning sets a defined time limit to address a problem.

This approach encourages teams to deliver the best solution possible within the timeframe, focusing on value rather than committing to specific features or requirements.

Making this shift smooth and effective requires a few intentional steps. Here’s a practical guide on how to transition to appetite-based planning, with actionable tips and real-world examples.

1. Start with Small Projects

Begin by experimenting with appetite planning on smaller, low-risk projects. This lets the team build confidence in working within defined timeframes without the pressure to deliver exact outputs. These projects act as a sandbox for testing the process and making adjustments along the way.

Example: If your team is tasked with improving user registration, set a one-week appetite to focus on a single part of the process, such as reducing the number of form fields. This way, the team concentrates on delivering a valuable improvement within a manageable timeframe, and any learning can be applied to larger projects in the future.

?? Tip: Run retrospectives after each small project to gather feedback from the team. Identify what went well and what could be improved for the next iteration.

2. Communicate the Benefits to Stakeholders

Appetite planning may be unfamiliar to stakeholders used to detailed estimates and specific timelines. Help them understand that appetite doesn’t eliminate planning; rather, it’s a strategic approach to deliver better results by setting realistic boundaries. Explain that appetite-based planning leads to higher-value, realistic outcomes by focusing on what’s most achievable within a set timeframe.

Example: If stakeholders ask why a new feature has only been given a two-week appetite, explain that this method encourages the team to focus on essential improvements rather than trying to cover everything at once, which can lead to delays and burnout. Highlight how, over time, this approach enables faster, more reliable progress.

??Tip: Share early wins and examples where appetite-based planning led to successful, focused outcomes. Use these stories to build stakeholder trust in the process.

3. Integrate Appetite into Your Roadmap

Adjust your roadmap to reflect appetites rather than rigid feature deadlines. This approach helps stakeholders see a timeline based on what’s achievable within set timeframes, reducing pressure on teams and creating a more adaptable roadmap.

Example: Instead of listing “Complete Payment Integration” as a deliverable with a hard deadline, reframe it on the roadmap as “Two-Week Appetite: Core Payment Integration.” This communicates the team’s focus without overcommitting to a particular level of detail, allowing for flexibility if priorities shift.

??Tip: When presenting the roadmap to stakeholders, reinforce that each appetite is about achieving the most valuable progress within the given time. This positions your roadmap as a flexible tool for steady, valuable delivery rather than a rigid set of deadlines.

4. Encourage Iterative Feedback and Adjustments

One of the key strengths of appetite-based planning is the flexibility it provides for iteration. Embrace this by building a culture where the team is encouraged to adapt based on feedback and new insights gained during the project.

Example: Imagine the team has a two-week appetite for enhancing the search experience. Midway through, they discover that a specific feature is more complex than expected. Rather than pushing to complete everything, they can adjust their focus, refine the feature within the remaining time, and prioritise a usable improvement over perfection.

??Tip: Create regular check-in points during the project to review progress and adjust focus if needed. This prevents teams from getting stuck on non-essential details and encourages them to prioritise impactful outcomes within the appetite.

5. Empower Teams to Make Trade-Offs

A key part of appetite-based planning is empowering teams to make decisions on what to prioritise. Encourage the team to focus on delivering what they believe will be most impactful within the appetite, even if it means setting some elements aside.

Example: If a team has a three-week appetite for creating a new onboarding experience, they might decide to focus on key flows for new users and save less critical elements for future cycles. This approach allows the team to make the most of their time and energy without getting bogged down in low-impact details.

??Tip: Reinforce with your team that making trade-offs is part of the process and support them in deciding what to prioritise. This builds a sense of ownership and confidence in delivering valuable results within the appetite.

6. Define Clear Success Metrics for Each Appetite

Setting an appetite without clear metrics for success can lead to vague or uneven results. Define specific, measurable outcomes for each appetite so that the team has a clear goal to work towards, even within a time-bound approach.

Example: For a project to improve load times on a popular app screen, set a one-week appetite with a success metric of reducing load time by 20%. This way, the team can focus on achieving this specific improvement, creating a clear benchmark for success.

??Tip: When defining success metrics, focus on achievable outcomes rather than overly ambitious goals. This keeps the appetite realistic and builds momentum as teams deliver on targeted improvements.

7. Celebrate and Share Successes

As teams adjust to appetite-based planning, celebrate their achievements within the appetites to build confidence in the process. Share these successes with stakeholders and within the team to demonstrate the effectiveness of appetite planning.

Example: If a team successfully delivers an improved checkout experience within a set two-week appetite, recognise their achievement and show how this approach led to quick, focused progress. Highlight how working within an appetite led to impactful outcomes without sacrificing team well-being.

??Tip: Keep a running list of completed appetites and the improvements they led to, and periodically share these wins across the organisation to build support for appetite-based planning.

Final Thoughts

Transitioning to appetite-based planning is not just about setting time constraints; it’s about creating a new mindset that prioritises focused, valuable outcomes over rigid, exhaustive planning. By starting with small projects, educating stakeholders, and building flexibility into your roadmap, you can make appetite-based planning a natural, effective part of your process.

This shift takes time and patience, but it empowers teams to work with clarity and purpose, delivering value at a sustainable pace. Embrace the appetite approach, and your team will likely find they’re delivering better outcomes with less stress, greater creativity, and renewed motivation.