16th Minute

Definition of 16th Minute

The 16th minute is the minute after Daily Scrum where teams handle impediments or collaboration not requiring everyone.

Pronunciation Spelling

sik-stenth min-it

Example Sentences

• The team deferred the code review process discussion to the 16th minute.
• Let’s Save that Discussion for the Sixteenth Minute.

Significance

The introduction of the 16th minute into the daily routine of agile teams serves as a pragmatic solution to a common challenge. Often, teams find themselves postponing the resolution of non-urgent issues until the Daily Scrum, inadvertently stretching the event beyond its designated timebox. This not only disrupts the flow but also wastes the valuable time of team members who aren’t necessarily required for those extended discussions.

By carving out the 16th minute immediately following the 15-minute Daily Scrum, teams create a buffer space to collaboratively tackle lingering items. This strategic approach ensures that everyone is at a stopping point in their tasks, eliminating the need to interrupt someone deeply engrossed in their work.

The 16th minute represents more than just a temporal extension. It symbolizes a dedicated time for teams to address impediments and engage in collaborative problem-solving without the time constraints imposed by the Daily Scrum. This intentional focus enhances the team’s efficiency, avoiding unnecessary extensions of the Daily Scrum for issue resolution.

Moreover, this approach instills flexibility into the team’s problem-solving dynamics. Rather than deferring problems until a time when everyone can convene for collaboration, the 16th minute encourages prompt and agile responses to issues as they arise. It’s a practical and dynamic addition to the daily routine, fostering adaptability and a continuous improvement mindset within the team.

The emergence of the 16th minute often signals a team’s struggle to collaborate effectively beyond the confines of scheduled events. It’s crucial to view this additional time as a tool for targeted issue resolution rather than a mere workaround. Guard against allowing the 16th minute to morph into an anti-pattern, serving as a superficial fix for the team’s underlying challenge with continuous collaboration.

If this time slot becomes a constant necessity or if the entire team consistently lingers for its entirety, it might indicate persistent dysfunctions similar to those causing the Daily Scrum to exceed its timebox. Simply dividing the event into multiple meetings with different names risks overlooking the root issue instead of addressing it.

In navigating these challenges, teams should prioritize fostering a culture of ongoing collaboration throughout the day. The goal is to proactively address issues as they arise, minimizing the reliance on specific time slots for problem-solving. By doing so, teams can cultivate a dynamic and responsive work environment that thrives on real-time collaboration, reducing the need for the 16th minute as a recurrent remedy.

Additional Resources

• Let’s Save that Discussion for the Sixteenth Minute