Mary Poppendieck used this definition in our Leading Lean Software Development course a few months ago. Very nice and concise definition of lean.
What is Lean?
- Deliver continually increasing customer value
- Expending continually decreasing effort
- In the shortest possible timeframe
- With the highest possible quality
A journey, not a destination.
I’d add “And the highest employee morale”
Good point. I see high employee morale as a prerequisite to succeeding with the other points.
But actually, just to contradict myself, at my company (Crisp) high employee morale is our primary goal above all else. It is also pretty much the only thing we systematically measure.
Thanks! But what does she mean exactly with “Expending continually decreasing effort”?
Bruno
For example fewer hours, fewer lines of code, less travelling, shorter specifications, simpler contracts, etc.
Would you mind if I add “Be flexible to respond to changes”?
Thank you.