Every delay increases the risk of failure

TL;DR

Delaying software releases increases the risk of failure and falling behind competitors. Frequent, smaller releases lead to higher success rates and faster recovery, as shown by industry research. Focus on delivering quickly and iterating rather than waiting for a perfect release.

10 February 2025
Written by Martin Hinshelwood
1 minute read
Comments
Subscribe

Every delay increases the risk of failure.

Organizations that take too long to release software fall behind. While they refine, plan, and internally validate, their competitors deliver, learn, and adapt.

The Standish Group’s CHAOS Report found that only 29% of long-cycle projects succeed, while agile, frequent-release projects succeed up to 64% of the time. DORA metrics confirm that teams that release more often have lower failure rates and faster recovery times.

Deliver small, deliver fast, and adjust. If you are waiting for the perfect release, you are already losing.

Comments
Subscribe

What to read next

Signal Product Development Engineering Excellence

Frequent releases are not just a technical strategy

Frequent software releases reduce risk, enable faster feedback, and help teams adapt to user needs, preventing costly mistakes and improving …

Read article
Signal Product Development

If software is not delivered, it is not valuable

Undelivered software provides no value. Frequent, iterative releases reduce risk, cost, and failure, enabling faster learning and real user …

Read article
Signal Product Development DevOps

Every unreleased feature is a cost

Unreleased features create hidden costs and risks. Regular software delivery reduces failure rates, rework, and missed opportunities, …

Read article
Signal Product Development Engineering Excellence

let-us do the maths

Explains how slow product release cycles delay feature delivery, risk losing relevance, and create competitive disadvantages, highlighting …

Read article
Signal Product Development Engineering Excellence

If every release feels high-risk, you lack a true Definition of Done

Releases feel risky when teams lack a clear Definition of Done. Learn how a strong DoD ensures stress-free, reliable software delivery with …

Read article
Video DevOps Engineering Excellence

Transforming Agility: How Azure DevOps Went from Two-Year Releases to 880,000 Deployments

Explores how Azure DevOps shifted from slow, two-year releases to rapid, continuous delivery, highlighting the benefits of fast feedback, …

Watch video