Cadence

Purpose: Establish the rhythm and pace of innovation work

Outcome: Create a sustainable cadence for validation, building, and iteration

Audience: PM / Dev / Both

Time: 30-45 minutes

Prerequisites: Getting Started

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

1. Define an appropriate cadence for your innovation work

2. Plan sprint cycles that balance discovery and delivery

3. Schedule regular reviews and retrospectives

4. Allocate time for experimentation and learning

5. Adjust cadence based on project phase

Jobs-to-Be-Done

• When: I'm setting up a new product innovation project

• I want: To establish a sustainable work rhythm

• So that: The team can maintain momentum and deliver value consistently

Inputs

• Project timeline or constraints

• Team size and availability

• Stakeholder expectations

• Existing organizational cadence (if any)

Activities

1. Define Your Sprint Length

Choose a sprint length that fits your context:

Options:

• 1 week: Fast iteration, high learning velocity (good for early validation)

• 2 weeks: Balanced approach, common standard (good for most projects)

• 3-4 weeks: More time for complex work (good for building phases)

💡 Tip: Shorter sprints (1-2 weeks) work better during the "Decide" phase when you need rapid feedback loops

2. Plan Your Work Cycles

Structure each cycle:

Discovery Cycle (Decide Phase)

• Day 1-2: Plan experiments, set up tests

• Day 3-4: Run experiments, collect data

• Day 5: Analyze results, synthesize learnings

Build Cycle (Build Phase)

• Day 1: Sprint planning, architecture decisions

• Day 2-4: Build features, write code

• Day 5: Review, demo, plan next sprint

Launch Cycle (Launch Phase)

• Day 1: Review metrics, plan experiments

• Day 2-4: Implement changes, monitor results

• Day 5: Analyze impact, decide next steps

3. Schedule Regular Events

Daily Standups (15 minutes)

• What did I learn yesterday?

• What will I learn today?

• Any blockers?

Sprint Review (1 hour)

• Demo what we built/learned

• Share key metrics and insights

• Gather feedback

Sprint Retrospective (30-45 minutes)

• What worked well?

• What could be improved?

• Action items for next sprint

Sprint Planning (1-2 hours)

• Review backlog

• Select work for next sprint

• Define success criteria

4. Allocate Time for Learning

Ensure each sprint includes:

• 20-30% for experimentation and learning (Decide phase)

• 10-15% for learning and improvement (Build/Launch phases)

• Buffer time for unexpected discoveries

Apply It Now

Task: Create a cadence plan for your project

1. Choose your sprint length based on your current phase

2. Create a calendar showing:

   • Sprint boundaries

   • Daily standup times

   • Sprint planning sessions

   • Review and retrospective sessions

3. Identify when you'll allocate time for learning

Artifact: A cadence calendar or sprint plan document

Artifacts

You'll create:

• Sprint length definition

• Cadence calendar

• Event schedule

• Time allocation plan

Worked Example

Situation: Early-stage product validation (Decide phase)

Cadence Plan:

• Sprint Length: 1 week (fast iteration)

• Daily Standups: 9:00 AM, 15 minutes

• Sprint Planning: Monday 10:00 AM, 1 hour

• Sprint Review: Friday 2:00 PM, 1 hour

• Retrospective: Friday 3:30 PM, 30 minutes

• Time Allocation: 30% experiments, 50% analysis, 20% planning

Calendar:

Week 1:
Mon: Planning, set up experiments
Tue-Thu: Run experiments, collect data
Fri: Review results, retrospective, plan Week 2

Checklist

Before proceeding, verify:

• Sprint length is defined

• Daily standups are scheduled

• Sprint planning session is scheduled

• Review and retrospective sessions are scheduled

• Time allocation includes learning/experimentation

• Cadence is documented and shared with team

Self-Assessment

1. What sprint length is typically best for early validation?

   • 1 week ✓

   • 2 weeks

   • 4 weeks

2. What percentage of time should be allocated to learning in the Decide phase?

   • 10-15%

   • 20-30% ✓

   • 40-50%

3. Which event should happen at the end of each sprint? (Select all)

   • Sprint Planning

   • Sprint Review ✓

   • Retrospective ✓

Exit Criteria

You're ready to proceed when:

• Sprint length is defined

• All regular events are scheduled

• Time allocation includes learning

• Cadence is documented and communicated

Dependencies & Next Steps

Prerequisites Completed

• Getting Started - Understanding the guide structure

Next Steps

• Review Getting Started for tool prerequisites

• Proceed to Decide What to Build if ready to validate

• Proceed to Build the MVP if ready to build

What This Enables

A clear cadence enables:

• Consistent team rhythm

• Predictable delivery

• Regular learning cycles

• Better stakeholder communication

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📝 Note: Cadence should evolve as your project progresses from Decide → Build → Launch 💡 Tip: Start with shorter sprints and lengthen if needed, rather than starting too long