First Steps With Lean Software Development
The latest buzzword right now in software development (as well as many other industries) is “Lean”. My company has recently started adopting some lean principles, and a lot of my reading in the past few weeks is either directly or indirectly related to lean, so I thought it would be good to write a bit about what I’ve learned so far.
First of all, a little history to know what we’re dealing with. Lean software development is primarily an application of lean manufacturing principles to the software industry. In the manufacturing world, lean is starting to be widely accepted as a Really Good Way to Do Things. Toyota was the first company to really embrace lean (in fact, they helped develop it), and although they’ve been hit by this recent economic storm, they’re doing worlds better than the Detroit Three, thanks in no small part to lean principles.
I’ve mentioned “lean principles” a few times, so I should at least list them. The seven lean principles are:
Eliminate Waste
Build Quality In
Create Knowledge
Defer Commitment
Deliver Fast
Respect People
Optimize the Whole
I plan on doing a post on each of these, with a short definition followed by how I’m trying to adhere to these principles with my team. I don’t claim to be an expert (or even proficient) in lean development, but I find that writing helps me solidify thoughts, and I’d love to hear any questions anyone has about lean. Stay tuned for a discussion on the first lean principle: Eliminate Waste. In the meantime, if you’re interested in learning more, check out the Wikipedia page on Lean software development or pick up a few lean books.
