Her fingers hovered over the screen as the boarding announcement echoed through the terminal. She wasn’t thinking about the flight; her mind was stuck on the email notification blinking on her phone. Was this the feedback she had been waiting for—or would it be another veiled disappointment?
Settling into her seat on the plane, the project manager stared at her inbox. The subject line read “Feedback on Recent Sprints,” and for a moment, she hesitated to open it. Months of client feedback had followed a familiar pattern—carefully worded, polite, but with an underlying frustration that was hard to miss: they were struggling to meet expectations. The project seemed slow, costs were climbing, and it felt like every step forward was two steps back.
She recalled previous emails. “Our progress seems to be stalling… it feels like you’re always depending on us to move forward.” The client never outright said it, but the message was clear—they were constantly playing catch-up, bogged down by technical dependencies, gaps in know-how, and the need for exploratory work.
As the flight attendants began the boarding instructions, her mind wandered back to a critical discussion with her team a few months ago. “Pehle hum har chhoti cheez ko last moment pe tackle karte the – we used to take care of even small things at the last moment. And whenever a complicated task came up, everything became rushed.”
The developers had shared her frustration. It wasn’t about capability—it was about timing. Because background work hadn’t been done until the very last moment, things would start going awry and the cascading effect would be delayed Sprint deliveries!
That’s when they decided to shift their approach. The answer wasn’t to over-plan but to prep in advance for the more challenging tasks. Just-in-Time (JIT) prep wasn’t for everything; it was for those tricky, complex tasks they knew could become bottlenecks. Instead of waiting until the last minute and then scrambling, they began prepping for the hardest parts one or two sprints ahead.
Just-in-Time (JIT) prep wasn’t for everything; it was for those tricky, complex tasks they knew could become bottlenecks.
“JIT prep se hum we could experiment a bit, so that, when the time comes to execute, we wouldn’t have to rush.” And that worked! Made all the difference. By focusing their efforts on prepping for specific upcoming challenges, they gained enough flexibility to handle the rest. Now, when a complicated task came up—like a tricky integration or a new feature—they were ready. The rush was gone, the scrambling was reduced, and their sprints flowed more smoothly.
As the plane taxied down the runway, she finally opened the email. The tension lifted almost immediately. “The team’s focus on upcoming complexities has made a noticeable difference,” the client wrote. “We’re seeing fewer last-minute issues, and the workflow feels more predictable. Costs have also started coming down.”
They had done it. The shift to JIT prep had finally paid off. By focusing their prep work on the most difficult tasks such as integrating advanced predictive maintenance systems that use IoT sensors to monitor equipment health in real time, they were able to anticipate potential failures and schedule maintenance proactively, minimizing downtime and reducing costs they had eliminated many of the bottlenecks that once slowed them down.
Instead of reacting to problems, they were ready for them. The results? A 2-3% reduction in effort
They had done it. The shift to JIT prep had finally paid off. By focusing their prep work on the most difficult tasks such as integrating advanced predictive maintenance systems that use IoT sensors to monitor equipment health in real time, they were able to anticipate potential failures and schedule maintenance proactively, minimizing downtime and reducing costs they had eliminated many of the bottlenecks that once slowed them down.
Instead of reacting to problems, they were ready for them. The results? A 2-3% reduction in effort , a noticeable improvement in speed, and lower project costs overall.
Leaning back in her seat, a small smile formed. JIT prep wasn’t about doing everything early—it was about doing the right things early. By experimenting and planning for only one or two sprints ahead, they were ready for whatever the client needed without overcommitting to long-term plans that would inevitably change.
Why did it work? Because they shifted their focus. Instead of trying to plan every little detail in advance, they concentrated on the parts that could disrupt their flow if left to the last minute. It was a simple change in approach, but one that had transformed their entire process. They weren’t faster just because of effort—they were faster because they had become more agile, more flexible, and more in control.
As the plane ascended, she reflected on the journey it took to get here—the challenges, the tough conversations, and the eventual solution. This wasn’t just a win for her team; it was a shift in mindset that could benefit any software project. The client’s feedback wasn’t just acknowledgment of their hard work—it was proof that this new approach, focusing on what was immediately ahead, was the key to success.
If your team is facing similar challenges—constant changes, complex tasks that throw off your entire sprint—maybe it’s time to rethink your approach. Focus on what’s just ahead, prep for the toughest parts, and give yourself the flexibility to adapt as things change.
What do you think? Have you tried JIT prep or something similar in your projects? Let’s discuss how agile strategies like this have impacted your team. Comment below!
