How to Conduct an Effective Technical Spike as a Software Engineer to Get the Answers You Need

Technical spikes are used in Software Engineering for tickets and bugs, where the solution is not yet clear.

But do you know how to best conduct a spike?

It’s easy to assume a spike is just research, but a poorly executed spike can make the implementation of a feature challenging.

Here’s how to conduct a spike to get the best results.

1. Create a scope for the spike

A spike involves research, but you need to define what that research will involve, otherwise you will end up in an out-of-focus rabbit hole.

Before you go researching a solution, you need to:

• Set a timebox — Define the amount of time you will spend on the spike.
• Create a list of questions you need to answer — You are researching because you do not have all the answers. Write down your unanswered questions.
• Form a list of requirements — Normally generated by your product manager. Requirements explain how the feature should work.

Defining the scope with the information above helps you stay hyper-focused on the task at hand.

2. Research the problem