Functional Debt

Effort focused on analyzing a sought future state or outcome and then evaluating, reasoning and selecting the potential way(s) that this outcome could be reached. This type of effort requires a analytical cognitive context for a person developing the outcome while working alone; and entails participation in collective reasoning and decision-making rituals when working as…

Effort focused on executing against a known challenge or adversary. This type of effort is concerned with the effectiveness of execution using tools, skills and methods. The cognitive context involves a focus on details and fundamentals as opposed to the bigger picture.

What we mean with we refer to “working ON the business…”

The concise description of a human endeavor, which captures user story(s), workflow(s), feature(s) or capability(s) required to satisfy said endeavor. The “what” is most often articulated by functional practitioners.

The timespan between the moment that a need has been defined for a human endeavor (the “what“) and the moment that technology has been fashioned (the “how“) to serve that endeavor. The “when” is most often executed by sequential practitioners.

Contributor of knowledge and expertise focused on technology and the inner-workings thereof. These practitioners are known to focus on the “how” rather than the “what.”