What a thought provoking article!! I am going to incorporate these concepts into my daily meetings by adding a swimlane in my Kanban board to track unplanned work.

Here are my 5 key takeaways:

1. Unplanned Work as a Silent Killer: Unplanned work can derail software projects and lead to missed deadlines and stress. It often arises without notice and requires immediate attention, which can interrupt planned work and impede progress.

2. Mitigating the Impact: To reduce the negative effects of unplanned work, it's important to minimize disruptions through efficient work processes and maintain a sustainable pace. This involves setting realistic goals and expectations and allowing for a buffer in project schedules.

3. Addressing Unplanned Work Proactively: By recognizing patterns of unplanned work, teams can anticipate and address potential disruptions before they happen. This involves analyzing root causes and putting in place systems to handle unexpected demands more efficiently.

4. Calculating the Impact: It's important to calculate the true cost of unplanned work by assessing the impact on productivity, schedules, and team morale. This can be done by tracking unplanned tasks and using tools that provide insights into how much time is consumed by such tasks.

5. Quality as a Preventive Measure: High-quality work reduces the need for unplanned work by preventing issues before they occur. This involves implementing strong coding standards, conducting thorough reviews, and ensuring a culture of quality throughout the software development process.