The Hidden Cost of Too Much Process
I’ve seen many teams fall into the trap of Runaway Process Inflation. They start with simple workflows, then gradually adding more steps in the name of efficiency. Yet each new step can subtly slow delivery instead of helping.
More process doesn’t always mean more effectiveness.
Before adding a checklist, approval, or workflow gate, consider:
- Does this help us deliver working software faster?
- Does it speed up feedback or slow it down?
- Does it improve decisions or just add paperwork?
- Are we solving a real issue or simply creating the illusion of control?
The Essential Question
How will this affect our ability to get changes in front of customers?
Modern teams win through speed of learning, not layers of process. Keep workflows lightweight, intentional, and focused on flow and customer value.
Add process thoughtfully. Remove it courageously.
Discussion for your team:
You’re working on your current ticket and notice an outdated comment in an older part of the code. Doing the comment fix will take mere seconds.
Scenario 1: If This Were a Solo Project
If you were the only developer on the application:
- What would be the fastest way to get this small fix into the codebase?
- How quickly could it be ready for the next deployment?
Most developers would simply update the comment, commit, push, and move on. No friction. No ceremony.
Scenario 2: Your Team’s Current Workflow
Now compare that to your team’s actual process:
- Do you need to create a new ticket for the fix?
- Does the ticket require refinement or approval?
- Does the PR require multiple reviewers?
- Does QA need to test this change even if it’s non-functional?
- How long does the fix sit in a queue before deployment?