Shift Left with Value Stream Mapping: From Theory to Action

Surely, I can't write another post about shifting left, you say! (See the other post here). Hopefully this angle will take you from theory to action. I believe that shifting left can be enabled by Value Stream Mapping (VSM). Let's understand how to move from theory to practice with the idea of "Shifting Left" and why it is important.

Understanding Shift Left

Shifting left means finding and addressing issues early in the development process, or being able to avoid them altogether. This proactive approach can lead to substantial benefits, like cost reduction, faster time to market, and increased opportunities for innovation.

The Rising Costs of Late Fixes

The later a defect is found in development, the more expensive it becomes. there are statistics that say that the cost is up to thousands or even millions of times higher (depending on the type of defect, of course). Here are a few reasons why even a small defect can come with an exponential cost to fix:

• Higher Complexity: Defects discovered late in the process often require more complex changes to the code base (as more changes have been made since its introduction)
• Broader Impact: One fix might break something else.
• Delays in Releasing: Can lead to potential loss of revenue realization.
• Increased testing: More extensive re-testing could be required when defects are discovered late.
• Wasted efforts: Scrapping previous efforts.
• Compliance Issues: Risk of not meeting compliance requirements could cause fines.
• Reputation Damage: Loss of trust among customers. This in itself can be significant - in the millions if it's a security breach.
• Disrupted lives: Emergency fixes mean increased work and stress for people working on the issues.
• Opportunity Costs: Time is lost on value-added features by spending time fixing what could have been caught earlier or avoided altogether.
• Cost of Context Switching: Disrupted focus and lowered productivity due to frequent task switching. To make matters worse, by the time the issue is discovered, the people working on that part of the code have lost context, and the defect will be harder to find as a result.

Embrace VSM to Shift Left Effectively

Value Stream Mapping allows you to shift from the theory of "shifting left" to the reality of implementing it:

• VSM provides a clear roadmap to understand the entire development process, identifying bottlenecks and challenges with the current process. Once people are introduced to the wastes, it's hard to un-see!
• The conversation about the Future State will help the Value Stream Mapping team to come up with ideas on how to improve the process and reduce waste. This includes things like working smaller, reducing work in process, and shifting left. Through the conversation, the team comes together to realize not only the impacts of the current way of working but also why it is valuable to change - and how they want to approach this change.
• The value stream team is cross-functional and promotes creativity and problem-solving. This means we can leverage staff expertise for informed decision-making (also increasing their engagement).
• The action plan at the conclusion of the value stream mapping activity ensures that the workshop does not remain in theory, but moves to what can actually be done to get closer to the future desired state, remove waste, and 'shift left.'

Conclusion: VSM is Essential to Embrace a Shift-Left Mindset

The stakes are high in modern software development. The cost of fixing defects late in the process isn't just financial; it's about time, reputation, compliance, and lost opportunities. The reputation impacts will continue to increase as software continues to embed itself in our lives and takes over more and more crucial tasks.

Value Stream Mapping provides the tools to make this shift a reality, enabling organizations to transform their approach through collective buy-in, align their teams, and deliver quality products effectively and efficiently.

Don't let the theory remain on paper. Embrace VSM, and learn to shift left. The benefits are not just compelling; they're essential for your organization's success.