What marine dry-docking taught me about Agile delivery in software—and how to lead both without sinking the ship.
Originally published on Medium
There’s a reason ships don’t run late: the plan must hold. But in software, the winds change faster. I’ve learned to sail both seas.
🧭 Introduction
I didn’t start in tech. I started in the engine room — where the schedules are tight, the budgets tighter, and failure is not just expensive, but dangerous.
As a marine project manager, I lived and breathed Gantt charts, SMS audits, and budget-driven milestones. Timelines were sacred. Stakeholders included flag states and classification societies. Your ability to predict and manage risk was your credibility.
Then I transitioned into software delivery — building life-critical safety platforms. What surprised me most wasn’t how different the worlds were — but how many lessons translated directly from steel decks to source code.
This article shares how I merged project management rigor from maritime operations with the flexibility of Agile sprints, shaping a hybrid approach that keeps delivery fast — but failure rare.
⚙️ 1. Respect the Plan — But Evolve the Execution
In shipyards, we planned dry-docking projects from the moment the last dry dock was completed. Every pipe replacement and tank inspection had a timeline, a QA sign-off, and a critical path.
But I learned that even the best plans can miss what isn’t inspected properly.
🛠️ Case in Point
During a vessel dry dock, routine inspection protocols failed to identify corrosion damage on a section of the tank top and internal ballast pipe system. The inspection reports assumed status quo — but once blasting began, extensive pitting and metal fatigue were revealed.
The result? A variation order (VO) for an unbudgeted structural repair that delayed the project by five days and added thousands to the cost — simply because the problem wasn’t in the spec.
This experience shaped how I think about scope in every project since. The plan must adapt — but it can only adapt honestly, with full visibility.
🧠 A Gantt chart is a compass. Agile is the wind. You need both — but blind spots sink both.
🧪 2. Risk Management Isn’t Just for Engineers
In maritime operations, risk was front-loaded: we did FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) before touching a valve or ballast system.
In software, risk often gets deferred until post-deployment — when outages happen and fingers point.
At Rescunomics, we embedded marine-grade risk thinking into our codebase. In every sprint, we ask:
- What feature, if broken, would cost lives?
- What’s our failover protocol for location tracking?
- Are voice commands field-tested or just UI-deep?
💡 We don’t just ship features — we ship accountability.
🔁 3. Shipboard QA Is Slow — But Unskippable
On ships, every repair, installation, or retrofit is inspected, logged, signed-off, and audited.
That dry dock incident taught me that inspection assumptions are just untested risks. If something isn’t inspected thoroughly, it doesn’t exist — until it does, at a cost.
That’s why in safety tech, "done" means “tested in real conditions.” For our Hērōs™ platform, we test features in live simulations with responders. If it doesn’t work in gloves, under stress — it doesn’t ship.
✅ From QA to UX, inspection isn’t red tape — it’s readiness.
🧭 4. Velocity Without Vision Is Just Movement
In marine projects, we were always chasing dry-dock deadlines. But every decision still had to align with vessel safety and operational longevity.
In software, sprint velocity often becomes the goal — not the value delivered.
I rebalanced our metrics by asking:
- Did this sprint reduce user effort?
- Did it improve responder trust?
- Did it get us closer to safety excellence?
Because whether it’s a 100,000-ton tanker or a safety dashboard, delivering faster only matters if you’re delivering what matters.
👥 5. Command Clarity Still Wins
Aboard ships, there’s no ambiguity in who owns what. During a fire drill, no one debates roles.
In Agile teams, I’ve seen deliverables stall from unclear accountability — or stakeholder bloat.
That’s why I map every sprint with a simple RACI chart:
- Responsible
- Accountable
- Consulted
- Informed
It might not be trendy, but it saves time, reduces friction, and ensures the ship (or sprint) doesn’t drift off course.
🧩 Conclusion: Two Worlds, One Discipline
Agility didn’t replace rigor. It made it smarter.
From managing engine room overhauls in storm-prone seas to leading AI-enhanced safety products in the cloud, I’ve learned that great project management is never dogmatic. It’s responsive. It’s deliberate. It’s accountable.
So whether you’re chipping and painting steel or debugging code, remember:
The best delivery systems are part plan, part pivot — all leadership.
💬 Let’s Connect
If you work at the edge of infrastructure and tech, let’s build resilient systems — and smarter sprints — together.
I write about leading high-stakes projects at the intersection of engineering, tech, and public good.
💬 Follow me on Medium or connect with me on LinkedIn
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