Splitting large things into smaller

Below are some general techniques for splitting large iniatives/problems/epics/features, etc. into smaller valuable pieces. See also the ideas list for the specific feature "Configure settings".

Start with what we know now, deal with the rest when we know more

A specific type of data only

Start out with reduced requirements on a given system property

A certain piece of the user interface

Do something that works, make it look good later

Thinnest possible "slice of cheese" through a process

Solve for one variant first, do the rest later

Manual management of some parts

Only the "happy path" through a flow

A specific client type

Buy instead of build, or vice versa

Thin vertical slice/"cake piece"

A specific role/group

Based on Bill Wakes ”Twenty Ways to Split Stories: https://xp123.com/articles/twenty-ways-to-split-stories/ and
"15 Ways to Split an Epic, a Team Exercise" by Michael James: http://blogs.collab.net/agile/15-ways-to-split-an-epic-a-team-exercise#.WUDdllKHKHo
The INVEST-acronym was created by Bill Wake and described in "INVEST in Good Stories, and SMART Tasks": https://xp123.com/articles/invest-in-good-stories-and-smart-tasks/

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