Cybernetics in Software Cycles
Paul Tekle-Tsadik ??????♂?
Head of Product | Solutions Architect | Software Delivery | Building financial services that are accessible and inclusive
As Product Managers, recognising the significance of cycle time in software development has been a game-changer for my productivity and effectiveness.
Cycle time, a concept borrowed from lean manufacturing, is crucial not only for manufacturing but also has a profound impact in software development. I am sharing some personal reflections on why understanding and optimising cycle time is vital for enhancing software delivery.
What is Cycle Time in Software Development?
In short Cycle Time measures the period from when work begins on a new feature until it's deployed to production. This metric is pivotal as it directly correlates with a team's efficiency and speed in delivering new functionalities and improvements.
For Agile purists, a Scrum Master measure Velocity which is the amount of work a team can complete in a given period or Sprint. Therefore, let's focus on why speed to deployment may be a better KPIs than how much the team can accomplish, as a unit of measurement.
Why is Cycle Time Important?
TL;DR: Improved Predictability and Planning
By measuring how long it takes to complete features historically, we can better forecast future delivery timelines. This predictability is invaluable for setting realistic expectations with stakeholders and planning future sprints with higher accuracy. Lessons learnt from an Agile Retro hints at how much time may be needed to complete a project. Yet, how can break this down further into milestones in a release plan?
Second point, enhancing cycle time (reduction) means your team can iterate faster, allowing Product Managers to respond more quickly to market changes and user feedback. This heightened responsiveness enhances the project team's ability to innovate rapidly.
A concluding thought. Shorter cycle times facilitate quicker feedback loops as well as customer satisfaction. Continuous monitoring and reducing of cycle times encourage a culture of constant enhancement, fostering a team environment geared towards efficiency. Clients appreciate rapid improvements and fixes.
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How to Optimise Cycle Time?
In the words of many great Product Mangers...'It depends?!'
Regularly analysing the development process helps identify stages that slow down the workflow. Is it at the begin, middle or end of your software development lifecycle? Is the team taking longer to synergise (at the start) or are we deploying whenever the work is complete? Alternatively, work is just-in-time production.
Introducing chained feedback loops not only from within the project team but also from stakeholders and users can help in quickly identifying areas of improvement, thus reducing the cycle time for future cycles. The culture of feedback observed in traditional agile theory starts and ends in retros. The reverse innovation of being able to learn from projects at a department, organisation and/or board level is a lost opportunity.
In concluding my thoughts, integrating these strategies at work is a challenge in any fast-paced environment however the impact on software delivery speed and quality is evidenced and cited across cases, experiments and literature. Cycle time is not just a metric for us; it's a reflection of our commitment to service excellence and user obsession. By continuously striving to reduce our cycle time, you and i not only enhance our operational structures but also solidify a reputation as a responsive and reliable software development company.
Further Reading