This approach allows people on large product development teams to work individually and people on smaller teams to work on different features. Those features are then integrated into the product at various milestones rather than at the end of the project. Teams begin by creating a vision statement that defines the goals of the new product and its features. Next, the program managers and developers write specs outlining product features, schedules, and staffing. Project managers divide the product and project into parts and set milestones for the project schedule.
All feature teams go through a complete cycle of development.
Throughout, feature teams synchronize their work by building the product and finding and fixing errors daily or weekly. They are generally free to set their own schedules within certain predetermined time frames. The second strategy brings some discipline to the process without dictating every developer's schedule. People are free to work in parallel yet function as one large team. Limit the size and scope of projects by setting clear boundaries on what each project will accomplish and organizing around product units that define how many people work on the project and how much time they spend.