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by Brendon Livingstone on 13 May 2013
On Wednesday 24 April 2013 we were very pleased to run a webinar where Mary Poppendieck presented on the seven principles for success with Lean software development. Equinox IT will host Mary and Tom Poppendieck in New Zealand during the week starting 24 June 2013, and we are running a series of webinars with them prior to their visit.
Here are the 7 principles of Lean software development that Mary presented:
1: Optimise the Whole
Optimising a part of a system will always sub-optimise the overall system. Focus on the entire value stream from idea to delivery. Think long term.
2. Focus on Customers
Understand and deliver what customers will truly value, by asking the right questions and solving the right problems.
3. Energise Workers
The time and energy of bright, creative people are the scarce resources in today’s economy. Use approaches such as semi-autonomous teams, providing an environment that enables full potential and providing meaningful purpose in work.
4. Eliminate Waste
The three biggest wastes in software development are developing the wrong thing, failure to build quality in, and doing things that don’t add value.
5. Learn First
Planning is useful. Learning is essential. Have an ability to rapidly respond to surprises, rather than to shoot for predictability.
6 Deliver Fast
Create a steady, even flow of work, pulled from a deep understanding of value. Companies that compete on the basis of speed have a big cost advantage. Manage workflow rather than tasks.
7. Keep Getting Better
Results are not the point – the point is to develop the people and the systems capable of delivering results.
