Sometimes a small project is exactly what a developer needs. I think this is especially true after finishing a longer project. Short projects may not have the same impacts as large, multi team projects, but they have their place none the less. Smaller projects allow you to focus on something different, something new. Even if its a dumpster fire that everyone wants to ignore, its not the dumpster fire you’ve been fighting the past six months.
Small projects inherently require smaller teams, sometimes even a team of one. They don’t require a scrum master or making sure you hit milestones. Being able to shift focus and code on something new allows your mind to relax and refocus. Since smaller projects are less mentally taxing, it allows you to re-organize and look at the big picture. What did the last large project do for the company? What did it do for you? What will the next large project do? What did you learn from the last one that will make the next one more effective?
This post didn’t turn out as structured as I like, but the overall point is that small projects are more than just business objectives, they help developers realign themselves with the big picture and freshen up their minds to start again on the larger projects. Don’t pass up a small project as an opportunity to take a breather!