What is the purpose of L∞P?
L∞P has been created as a response to the existence of mainstream failure and widespread despair in the software industry.
The problem
Mainstream failure
“Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”
— Peter Drucker.
The software industry is both inefficient and ineffective. The Standish Group's CHAOS Report is probably the most extensive and longest-running research study in the software industry. The CHAOS Report examined thousands of software projects over three decades and found some very disappointing performance metrics:
Over the last three decades, the success rate of software projects has never exceeded 38%.
The success rate of software projects increased between 1994 and 2015 but has decreased since then.
The problems go beyond project failures. Other reports put the spotlight on developer inefficiency:
- In 2018, Stripe estimated that there is ~$300 billion of Global GDP loss annually due to developer inefficiency.
Widespread despair
I have interacted with hundreds of developers and technology businesses throughout my career, and sadly, I believe the CHAOS and Stripe reports are accurate. What I have witnessed across our industry is mostly a widespread estate of despair. The following list contains some of the most common issues that I have observed:
As a developer:
- Feeling unproductive
- Low work-life-balance
- Low autonomy
- Failing to see the impact of work
- Meaningless meetings
- Mundane, repetitive tasks
- Unrealistic arbitrary deadlines
- Constant interruptions
- Dealing with site reliability issues
- Working around technical debt
- Changing priorities
- Context switching
- Cognitive overload
- Slow feedback loops
- Lost trust in management
- Lost trust in other departments
- Stress, burnout, anxiety and depression
As a business:
- Unable to compete
- Struggling to retain customers
- Struggling to gain new customers
- Increasing customer acquisition costs
- Struggling to attract talent
- Struggling to retain talent
- Lacking innovation
- Lacking agility
- Low employee morale
- Business divisions are hostile towards each other
- Lost trust in development
As a customer:
- Frustration
- Lost time and productivity
- Financial loss
- Decreased trust
The mission and vision
“Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done”
— The 5th Principle, Principles behind the Agile Manifesto
L∞P's purpose (WHY) is to improve the well-being of professionals in the software industry by creating a work in an environment that makes them feel trusted, empowered, engaged, productive and valued.
L∞P strategy (WHAT) to help organisations create a culture of trust, ownership, and data-driven continuous experimentation that fosters sustainable product-led growth and high-performance digital product teams that can thrive in the age of disruption.
High-performing teams tend to lead to higher levels of engagement because when the team members see that their efforts are contributing to the success of the company, they feel a sense of pride and purpose in their work. This can lead to increased motivation and commitment to the company's mission and goals. Additionally, high-performing teams often have a positive and supportive work environment, which fosters a sense of camaraderie and teamwork with higher levels of trust and lower levels of stress, burnout, anxiety and depression. This, in turn, can lead to higher levels of engagement as members feel valued and supported by their colleagues and managers. Overall, a high-performing teams can create a virtuous cycle of employee well-being, engagement, motivation, productivity and success.
Being part of a high-performance team doesn't mean being in a group under a lot of pressure; it means being in a team that is highly motivated and empowered to achieve a goal as a team. In a high-performance team, everyone's contributions are valued, and everyone feels a sense of ownership and responsibility for the team's success which can lead to a strong sense of unity and a shared sense of purpose.
On the other hand, the opposite is true for underperforming teams. An underperforming team can create a dreadful cycle of employee ill-being, low engagement, low motivation, unproductivity and failure.