This document discusses concepts related to lean software development. It begins by explaining the origins of lean thinking at Toyota and how it was adapted to software development. It then outlines seven principles of lean software development: eliminate waste, build quality in, create knowledge, defer commitment, deliver fast, respect people, and optimize the whole. For each principle, it provides examples and explanations of how to apply that principle. It also includes discussions of related topics like value stream mapping, Little's Law, and continuous improvement.

1. Rockcliffe University
www.urockcliffe.com
Software Engineering
Bill Krebs – AgileBill@AgileDimensions.com
SL: AgileBill Firehawk
AgileDimensions, LLC.
© 2009 Rockcliffe University Consortium

2. What is Lean?
Lean
Optimize how we work.
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3. Father and Son
Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd
Toyota Motor
1958 – Exported 230 cars to US
1965 – Toyota wins Deming Award
1985 – Cumulative production exceeds 20 million units
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4. At Toyota
Andon / Jidoka – stop the line culture
Halt if a defect is detected. Fix it right away.
Use as a trigger for continuous improvement
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5. W. Edwards Deming
Yale PhD
1950 – Consulting executives in Japan
“Better Quality = Better Productivity”
1960 – Awarded Japan’s Order of the Sacred Treasure
by Prime Minister
Helps Ford
1982 – 3 billion in losses
1986 – most profitable US car company
Defects are caused by the process,
not the workers
Deming’s 14 points
# 5. Improve constantly and forever the system of production and
service, to improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly
decrease cost.
1900 – 1993
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming
Seven Deadly Diseases
#2. Emphasis on short-term profits.
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6. Deming’s 14 points
From “Out of the Crisis” 1986. Does any of this still
apply today?
1. Improve the product and service, compete, stay
in business, and provide jobs
2. Western management must take on leadership
for change
3. Build quality into the product instead of
inspecting for defects
4. Minimize Total cost. Establish a trusted
relationship with a supplier.
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7. More Deming points
5. Constantly improve the system. This will
improve quality and productivity, and decrease
cost.
6. Institute training on the job.
7. The aim of management should be to help
people and machines and gadgets do a better
job.
8. Drive out fear, so that everyone may work
effectively for the company.
9. Break down barriers between departments.
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8. More Deming points
10. Eliminate slogans and targets for zero defects.
The “System” causes the defects, not the
workers. Fix the system, or process.
11. Eliminate quotas. Substitute leadership instead.
Don’t manage by numbers. Substitute
workmanship.
12. Remove barriers to workmanship. Focus on
Quality, not quantity.
13. Institute a program of education and self-
improvement
14. Transformation is everyone’s work
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9. Lean
Mary and Tom Poppendieck’s
book helps us understand what
Japan did.
They translate manufacturing
practices into software terms.
Not Lean Six Sigma
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10. 7 Principles
1. Eliminate Waste
2. Build Quality In
3. Create Knowledge
4. Defer Commitment
5. Deliver Fast
6. Respect People
7. Optimize the Whole
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11. Eliminate Waste
By “Waste” we mean work that add no value in the
eyes of the customer. “Muda” in Japanese
Transport / Handoffs Defects
Over-production / extra features
Waiting / Delays
Extra processing / relearning Motion / Task Switching
In process inventory / or Partially done work
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12. Value Stream Map
1. Identify start and stop
2. Draw boxes for work
3. Lines for wait time
4. Label time for each
5. Divide total work time
by total elapsed time
6. Look for bottlenecks
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13. Quiz
Name some types of Waste
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14. Build Quality In
Mistake-Proof the process
Example: Test Driven Development
Avoid Technical Debt
a) Creation of work without associated test
b) Work that passes test, but smells bad
Avoid big band surprises
Integrate smaller batches more often
(continuous integration)
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15. Create Knowledge
Learn as you work
Use the scientific Method
Form a hypotheses, test, observe the results
Standards
What is their purpose? Conformity against change? Or
baseline For change?
Evolve knowledge Empirically
Learn and adapt, not just predict and plan
“Don’t just guess about the future and call it a plan”
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16. Defer Commitment
Break dependencies
Maintain Options
When is the best time to decide?
As early as possible? Or just in time?
Can we make some decisions reversible?
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17. Deliver Fast
Speed, Quality, and low cost go together
Apply Queuing theory to your business
Too much work in process at the same time actually slows
you down
Limit work to capacity
Efficiency bogs down when people are thrashing at near
100% busy
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18. Little’s Law
Where is the sweet spot?
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19. Little’s Law in Action
An Example of Little’s Law in action.
Twitter
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20. Respect People
Which is more important? More money? Or more
fulfillment (praise, doing what suits you)?
Provide effective leadership
Bring out the best in the team
Respect Partners
Build alliances and foster trust, not conflict of interest
Also: Thought Diversity. The Servant Leader.
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21. Optimize the Whole concept to cash
Focus on the entire value stream / system
When do we start measuring
When to we stop measuring?
Measure “Up”
Don’t sub optimize
What you measure is what you get
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22. Quiz
Should we work people at 100% or more?
Is there a trade off between quality, speed, and
cost?
Which of these companies use Lean?
Dell
Dell
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23. Improve like Toyota
“When there is trouble, stopping the machine also
means identifying the problem”
You’re a “Salary Thief”
if you have not improved your process
改善 “Kaizen” - Improvement
Taiichi Ohno
1912-1990
No work without process
No process without metrics en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaizen
www.poppendieck.com/lean.htm
No metrics without measurement
No measurement without analysis
No analysis without improvement
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24. What techniques do you like?
DISCUSSION
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25. Rockcliffe University
www.urockcliffe.com
Bill Krebs – linkedin.com/in/BillKrebs
SL: AgileBill Firehawk
Agile Dimensions, LLC.
AgileBill@AgileDimensions.com