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Work has a few sizes, each answering a different question. Getting the size right keeps the graph useful.

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The levels

  • Phase — a dated stretch of the plan you are aiming for. “What are we trying to be true by when?” (You may see the word milestone in old notes; on the map and in the product it is a phase.)
  • Enabler — a capability your project needs to acquire to reach that phase. “What must we be able to do that we can’t do yet?” Think weeks, not days — an enabler is done when the project can do something new.
  • Card — one shippable piece of that capability. “What thing needs to exist?” A card is done when that thing exists and works.
  • Checklist item — a step inside a card. “What do I do next?”

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A quick way to size something

Ask what’s true when it’s finished:
  • If the answer is “we can now do X” — it’s an enabler.
  • If the answer is “this thing exists” — it’s a card.
  • If the answer is “I did this one action” — it’s a checklist item.

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Why the size matters

A card that is really an enabler never feels done — it grows more checklist items forever. An enabler that is really a card gets marked done the moment one thing ships. Keep each item at its right size so “what’s left” is a real answer.