Continuous Flow Delivery Part 2

In their book “Leading Lean Software Development”; Mary and Tom Poppendieck - Propose 6 areas with 24 frames to effectively implement Lean Software Development. They propose this as a coherent leadership framework for implement system development.

In the first focus area of Systems Thinking - there is focus on how to align our aspirations towards customer value by being mindful about the system capability rather than focusing on full utilization of resources. There is interesting distinction between value demand and failure demand. Value demand is customer value creation, failure demand is about need of handling inefficiencies created in-process of value creation. There is focus on understanding how organizational policies intervene in the value creation process for the organization. Systems thinking focus area provides an avatar of a product champion who has vision to create products that delight customer.

In the second focus area of Technical Excellence - focus is on software development practices, low dependency architecture, test leading development, development as a practice that evolves with design as the development progresses, and importance of developing technical expertise among team. Technical excellence focus area provides an avatar of a competency leader who can lead all these capabilities.

In the third focus area of Reliable Delivery - focus is on identifying and managing the system constraints that is hampering easy flow of value to customer. With workflow and schedule there is focus on importance of regular feedback. In Reliable delivery focus area, same avatar of product champion is highlighted with focus here being on leading effective implementation of practices.

In the fourth focus area of Relentless Improvement - focus is on never ending continuous improvement. Some of the tools that help to visualize what it means to bring in perfection is software development, establishing where is our system capability as of now, exposing all the problems and constraints inherent in the system and learning the system well and solving the problems continuously. In Relentless improvement avatar is manager as a mentor is propagated

In the fifth focus area of Great People - there is emphasis on importance of respecting people which will be the foundation for building great delivery organization. Treating people well, instilling the focus on purpose, passion, persistence and pride are explored. There is emphasis on knowledge worker, importance of reciprocation of respect across people at all levels. Overall intent is to develop the sense of workmanship. This is a biggest pillar of Lean Mindset. In this focus area avatar of most influential leader who has the ability to influence people towards becoming passionate about the work is highlighted

In the sixth focus area of Aligned Leaders - there is focus on making leadership align with the lean mindset, so that the theory can be converted in possibility. Sustaining the maturity and progress established with other frames are the focus here.

Inspired from Leading Lean Software Development book from Mary Poppendieck and Tom Poppendieck