Drag is the opposite of flow. Flow is what we want in software development: it is the smooth and uninterrupted movement of work through the development process, all the way into production. It is a state where work progresses steadily and efficiently, without delays, bottlenecks, or excessive interruptions.

Achieving a state of flow is essential to maximise productivity, reduce waste, and deliver value to customers more effectively. Getting there is hard, staying there even harder.

In this talk, we will discuss various factors that hinder the smooth flow of work. Collectively, we refer to these factors as drag. The presence of drag disrupts the steady movement of work, creates bottlenecks, and introduces interruptions, leading to decreased productivity, longer lead times, and reduced overall efficiency in the development process.

To better understand what causes drag, we have a closer look at technical debt, unnecessary toil, and even software metabolism. Finally, we call in the help of an old friend for assisting us in systematically recovering our every so precious and sought-after flow.