> What is not clear to me is how an abrupt new feature with an urgent deadline fits into all this ? "We'll fit this into the next release cycle" is not an option, let's say.
Maybe the larger, successful tech companies avoid doing this. I believe that most of them define work at a quarterly level. So a team is unlikely to have the sudden changes in direction.
They are also unlikely to be resource-constrained, so when the odd high-priority feature emerges from the ether, they can put together a new team to tackle it.
Smaller companies need the discipline to know not to suddenly change everyone's priority, and instead, work emergent features into the current backlog at a pace appropriate for the size and scope of their teams.
Maybe the larger, successful tech companies avoid doing this. I believe that most of them define work at a quarterly level. So a team is unlikely to have the sudden changes in direction.
They are also unlikely to be resource-constrained, so when the odd high-priority feature emerges from the ether, they can put together a new team to tackle it.
Smaller companies need the discipline to know not to suddenly change everyone's priority, and instead, work emergent features into the current backlog at a pace appropriate for the size and scope of their teams.