Scope better: Find good Problems At Work

dennyzhang, Denny Zhang

URL: https://quantcodedenny.com/posts/scope-better/

Introduction

For a successful tech lead, it usually has four steps: scope better -> do better -> look better -> connect better.

One of the hardest skills to master as a tech lead is *scoping*—understanding the right problems to solve, sizing them correctly, and aligning them with team capacity and organizational priorities. Poor scoping leads to wasted effort, missed deadlines, or over-committing your team. On the other hand, good scoping sets the foundation for execution, influence, and impact.

This blog post is my personal journal on learning to scope better. I plan to keep updating it with new experiences, reflections, and frameworks as I encounter different challenges.

Why Scoping Matters

Scoping is more than estimating timelines. It’s about:

  • Choosing the right problems – Focus on work that delivers meaningful impact.
  • Defining clear boundaries – Avoid scope creep and ensure deliverables are realistic.
  • Aligning expectations – Make sure stakeholders, peers, and the team understand the “what” and “why.”
  • Maximizing leverage – Prioritize work that scales or unlocks further opportunities.

My Approach to Scoping

I’ve found a few practical techniques that help me scope better:

  • Start with the problem, not the solution.
    • Ask: “What’s the problem we are really trying to solve?”
  • Break work into milestones.
    • Large projects can be intimidating; splitting them into digestible chunks helps estimate more accurately.
  • Validate assumptions early.
    • Run experiments, talk to users, or gather data to avoid over-committing to uncertain work.
  • Use a “P0-P1-P2” framework.
    • Clearly identify the highest priority work versus nice-to-have work.
  • Learn from past projects.
    • Keep track of what was over- or under-scoped and adjust future estimates.

Finding Good Problems to Solve

A critical part of scoping is finding good problems to tackle. Some ways I approach this:

  • Look for problems with high leverage—fixes or features that benefit multiple teams or users.
  • Focus on repetitive pain points that slow down the org or team.
  • Seek ambiguous challenges where clarity and leadership can make a difference.
  • Align with org goals to ensure impact is recognized and resources are available.

Lessons Learned

  • It’s iterative.
    • Scoping is rarely perfect the first time. Adjust as new information arrives.
  • Communication is key.
    • A well-scoped project is useless if the team and stakeholders don’t understand it.
  • Balance ambition and realism.
    • Stretch goals are fine, but over-promising hurts credibility.

Next Steps

I will continue experimenting with different scoping strategies and documenting outcomes. Over time, I hope this post will become a living guide for myself and others on how to scope better as a tech lead.