At we are, we develop your software in a lean way. But what does lean even mean? In this blog post, you learn what lean actually is, where it comes from, how we apply lean principles at we are and what the benefits are of developing software in a lean way.
Lean has a few aspects. A lean way of working mainly focuses on delivering maximum value to customers with minimal resources. It involves identifying what customers truly value, making the methodology very customer-centric. Lean aims to streamline processes to eliminate unnecessary steps, the emphasis lies on the importance of minimising unnecessary work.
The visual below illustrates the process of lean software development. Following a non-lean methodology, clients often get to express their concerns when the development phase is already done and the budget has run out. This often leads to big steps in the wrong direction, which causes unnecessary investments. Instead, lean software development focuses on building a solution block by block, using small portions of the budget. After every phase, the client has the opportunity to give feedback so the engineers can adapt if needed. This process is repeated until the solution is complete.
The lean methodology was originally developed by Toyota in the context of manufacturing. A bit later, the term was popularized by the book “The Machine That Changed the World” by James Womack et al. The authors studied the production practices at Toyota and other leading car manufacturers to identify the principles and methods that contributed to Toyota’s efficiency and success.
By minimizing resources, optimizing processes and focusing on the needs of the client, lean software development enables faster development cycles and quicker releases.
By working lean, the focus lies on quality throughout the development process. By implementing robust testing practices and emphasizing continuous improvement, lean helps ensure that the delivered software meets or even exceeds customer expectations.
Developing by lean principles encourages adaptability to changing requirements. When working in a lean manner, the development team is more responsive to customer feedback and can adjust priorities and development efforts accordingly.
Working lean puts a strong emphasis on understanding and meeting customer needs. Continuous feedback loops and customer involvement contribute to a more customer-centric approach to software development.
By optimizing processes and minimizing waste, lean helps in using resources (including time, manpower, and technology) more efficiently. This, in turn, can lead to cost savings.
Interested in our lean software development? Have a chat with Guillaume!