Which practice is best when a team is feeling overburdened in an agile environment?

Encouraging team self-organization is crucial when a team feels overburdened in an agile environment because it empowers the team to take ownership of their work and make decisions about how to manage their workload more effectively. Self-organization allows team members to identify their individual strengths and collaborate more efficiently, leading to a more balanced distribution of tasks. When a team is self-organized, they can assess their capacity, prioritize their work, and make adjustments as necessary, thus alleviating feelings of being overwhelmed.

This practice fosters a sense of autonomy and responsibility within the team, promoting creativity and innovation as members collaboratively develop solutions to challenges. By encouraging self-organization, the team can respond to their own needs and adjust processes to better cope with pressures rather than relying on external mandates or interventions.

In contrast, increasing workload distribution or assigning additional resources may simply add more complexity or stress without addressing the underlying issues. Implementing strict deadlines can lead to increased pressure, which may hinder the team’s morale and productivity.