Parallels between manufacturing and software development have led many organisations to adopt lean principles for digital product creation and management.
A core feature of lean is reducing waste in production by focusing on value delivery. The idea is that operating more efficiently delivers tangible business benefits, from reduced costs to better employee engagement and customer satisfaction. Ultimately lean methods put customer value at the heart of everything, which corresponds with the project-to-product shift happening in IT today.
Reimagining lean for the digital age
Nevertheless, it’s important to appreciate the differences between manufacturing and software development, not just the similarities.
Software developers solve novel problems whereas physical products are more clearly defined ahead of manufacture. The traditional physical production was rooted in repetition while digital production is all about change.
Without careful management,…