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Common Practice

Spike

Common Practice Technique

A spike is a short research task used to reduce uncertainty.

Plain English explanation

A spike is a small investigation task to learn something before doing the real work.

Why it matters

It helps reduce uncertainty before committing to implementation.

How it works

The team sets a time-box and explores a problem, then shares findings.

Example

Researching a new API before building a feature.

Common misunderstanding

A spike is not a full solution — it is for learning only.

Key points

  • Time-boxed research
  • Reduces uncertainty
  • Produces knowledge
  • Not a deliverable feature

Source

Based on .

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