Refine Minimum Releasable Features (MRFs)

As I described in Chapter 17, the minimum releasable features represent the smallest set of “must-have” features, the ones that simply have to be in the release if we are to meet customer value and quality expectations. An important part of release planning is to diligently reevaluate and refine what are truly the MRFs for the release. As we obtain fast feedback from our sprints and acquire validated learning, we are constantly adjusting the MRFs.

A problem I frequently see in organizations is an inability to agree on what constitutes the MRFs. Multiple competing stakeholders simply might not agree. Having poorly defined MRFs or MRFs that people only passive-aggressively agree with interferes with clear decision making during release planning. For example, we’re running out of time; which feature should we drop? Lack of clarity regarding the MRFs might complicate this decision.