The Lean Mindset shows developers and managers how to “think beyond software,” and charter teams that look more like startups than conventional software organizations. The latest book in Mary and Tom Poppendieck’s pioneering series on Lean Software Development, this breakthrough guide extends concepts made popular in Lean Startup and Running Lean, making those ideas even more valuable and widely applicable.The Poppendiecks:
Explain key principles driving the adoption of practices like Continuous Delivery, and show how to safely release continual flows of new defect-free software into production environment
Build on lessons learned from Kanban systems to provide mechanisms for specifying technical policies covering each step in the value stream
Present a complete chapter on building innovative organizations, including rethinking development team structure, reconciling autonomy with leadership, and conducting frugal experiments
Illuminate their ideas with impressive case studies (Ericsson, CareerBuilder, and Wikispeed)
Along the way, the authors show how advances over the past decade have laid the foundation for new lean principles for the next decade, including far better tools; new domain-specific practices that will differ radically among disciplines; and a new “value stream focus” that will reshape roles, team dynamics, and organizational structure.
Product Description
What company doesn’t want energized workers, delighted customers, genuine efficiency, and breakthrough innovation? The Lean Mindset shows how lean companies really work–and how a lean mindset is the key to creating stunning products and delivering amazing services.
Through cutting-edge research and case studies from leading organizations, including Spotify, Ericsson, Intuit, GE Healthcare, Pixar, CareerBuilder, and Intel, you’ll discover proven patterns for developing that mindset. You’ll see how to cultivate product teams that act like successful startups, create the kind of efficiency that attracts customers, and leverage the talents of bright, creative people.
The Poppendiecks weave lean principles throughout this book, just as those principles must be woven throughout the fabric of your truly lean organization.
Learn How To
Start with an inspiring purpose, and overcome the curse of short-term thinking
Energize teams by providing well-framed challenges, larger purposes, and a direct line of sight between their work and the achievement of those purposes
Delight customers by gaining unprecedented insight into their real needs, and building products and services that fully anticipate those needs
Achieve authentic, sustainable efficiency without layoffs, rock-bottom cost focus, or totalitarian work systems
Develop breakthrough innovations by moving beyond predictability to experimentation, beyond globalization to decentralization, beyond productivity to impact
Lean approaches to software development have moved from novelty to widespread use, in large part due to the principles taught by Mary and Tom Poppendieck in their pioneering books. Now, in The Lean Mindset, the Poppendiecks take the next step, looking at a company where multidiscipline teams are expected to ask the right questions, solve the right problems, and deliver solutions that customers love.
Preface ix About the Authors xi
Introduction 1
Lean Is a Mindset 3
How Mindsets Work 4
The Fabric of Lean 6
Chapter 1: The Purpose of Business 11
The Rise of Rational Economics 11
Case: Who Are Our Customers? 15
The Rise of Rational Work Systems 19
Case: Working Together at Ford 23
Cooperative Work Systems 26
Case: When Workers Are Volunteers 32
Questions to Ponder 36
Chapter 2: Energized Workers 39
Full Potential 39
A Challenge That Changed the World 45
The Science of Expertise 55
When Can We Trust Intuition? 64
Questions to Ponder 69
Chapter 3: Delighted Customers 71
Ask the Right Questions 71
Solve the Right Problems 75
Design a Compelling Experience 81
Develop the Right Products 92
A Design Toolbox 96
Questions to Ponder 99
Chapter 4: Genuine Efficiency 101
What Is Efficiency? 101
Lessons in Flow: Ericsson 102
Lessons in Speed: CareerBuilder 110
Lessons in Learning: Lean Startup 115
Build the Right Thing: Spotify 119
Questions to Ponder 129
Chapter 5: Breakthrough Innovation 131
Seeing the Future 131
Focus 135
Change the Focus 141
An Innovation Checklist 155
Questions to Ponder 158
Epilogue 159
References 163
Index 169
The Lean Mindset shows developers and managers how to "think beyond software," and charter teams that look more like startups than conventional software organizations. The latest book in Mary and Tom Poppendieck's pioneering series on Lean Software Development, this breakthrough guide extends concepts made popular in Lean Startup and Running Lean , making those ideas even more valuable and widely applicable.The Poppendiecks:
Explain key principles driving the adoption of practices like Continuous Delivery, and show how to safely release continual flows of new defect-free software into production environment
Build on lessons learned from Kanban systems to provide mechanisms for specifying technical policies covering each step in the value stream
Present a complete chapter on building innovative organizations, including rethinking development team structure, reconciling autonomy with leadership, and conducting frugal experiments
Illuminate their ideas with impressive case studies (Ericsson, CareerBuilder, and Wikispeed)
Along the way, the authors show how advances over the past decade have laid the foundation for new lean principles for the next decade, including far better tools; new domain-specific practices that will differ radically among disciplines; and a new "value stream focus" that will reshape roles, team dynamics, and organizational structure.
Explain key principles driving the adoption of practices like Continuous Delivery, and show how to safely release continual flows of new defect-free software into production environment
Build on lessons learned from Kanban systems to provide mechanisms for specifying technical policies covering each step in the value stream
Present a complete chapter on building innovative organizations, including rethinking development team structure, reconciling autonomy with leadership, and conducting frugal experiments
Illuminate their ideas with impressive case studies (Ericsson, CareerBuilder, and Wikispeed)
Along the way, the authors show how advances over the past decade have laid the foundation for new lean principles for the next decade, including far better tools; new domain-specific practices that will differ radically among disciplines; and a new “value stream focus” that will reshape roles, team dynamics, and organizational structure.
Product Description
What company doesn’t want energized workers, delighted customers, genuine efficiency, and breakthrough innovation? The Lean Mindset shows how lean companies really work–and how a lean mindset is the key to creating stunning products and delivering amazing services.
Through cutting-edge research and case studies from leading organizations, including Spotify, Ericsson, Intuit, GE Healthcare, Pixar, CareerBuilder, and Intel, you’ll discover proven patterns for developing that mindset. You’ll see how to cultivate product teams that act like successful startups, create the kind of efficiency that attracts customers, and leverage the talents of bright, creative people.
The Poppendiecks weave lean principles throughout this book, just as those principles must be woven throughout the fabric of your truly lean organization.
Learn How To
Start with an inspiring purpose, and overcome the curse of short-term thinking
Energize teams by providing well-framed challenges, larger purposes, and a direct line of sight between their work and the achievement of those purposes
Delight customers by gaining unprecedented insight into their real needs, and building products and services that fully anticipate those needs
Achieve authentic, sustainable efficiency without layoffs, rock-bottom cost focus, or totalitarian work systems
Develop breakthrough innovations by moving beyond predictability to experimentation, beyond globalization to decentralization, beyond productivity to impact
Lean approaches to software development have moved from novelty to widespread use, in large part due to the principles taught by Mary and Tom Poppendieck in their pioneering books. Now, in The Lean Mindset, the Poppendiecks take the next step, looking at a company where multidiscipline teams are expected to ask the right questions, solve the right problems, and deliver solutions that customers love.
Preface ix About the Authors xi
Introduction 1
Lean Is a Mindset 3
How Mindsets Work 4
The Fabric of Lean 6
Chapter 1: The Purpose of Business 11
The Rise of Rational Economics 11
Case: Who Are Our Customers? 15
The Rise of Rational Work Systems 19
Case: Working Together at Ford 23
Cooperative Work Systems 26
Case: When Workers Are Volunteers 32
Questions to Ponder 36
Chapter 2: Energized Workers 39
Full Potential 39
A Challenge That Changed the World 45
The Science of Expertise 55
When Can We Trust Intuition? 64
Questions to Ponder 69
Chapter 3: Delighted Customers 71
Ask the Right Questions 71
Solve the Right Problems 75
Design a Compelling Experience 81
Develop the Right Products 92
A Design Toolbox 96
Questions to Ponder 99
Chapter 4: Genuine Efficiency 101
What Is Efficiency? 101
Lessons in Flow: Ericsson 102
Lessons in Speed: CareerBuilder 110
Lessons in Learning: Lean Startup 115
Build the Right Thing: Spotify 119
Questions to Ponder 129
Chapter 5: Breakthrough Innovation 131
Seeing the Future 131
Focus 135
Change the Focus 141
An Innovation Checklist 155
Questions to Ponder 158
Epilogue 159
References 163
Index 169
The Lean Mindset shows developers and managers how to "think beyond software," and charter teams that look more like startups than conventional software organizations. The latest book in Mary and Tom Poppendieck's pioneering series on Lean Software Development, this breakthrough guide extends concepts made popular in Lean Startup and Running Lean , making those ideas even more valuable and widely applicable.The Poppendiecks:
Explain key principles driving the adoption of practices like Continuous Delivery, and show how to safely release continual flows of new defect-free software into production environment
Build on lessons learned from Kanban systems to provide mechanisms for specifying technical policies covering each step in the value stream
Present a complete chapter on building innovative organizations, including rethinking development team structure, reconciling autonomy with leadership, and conducting frugal experiments
Illuminate their ideas with impressive case studies (Ericsson, CareerBuilder, and Wikispeed)
Along the way, the authors show how advances over the past decade have laid the foundation for new lean principles for the next decade, including far better tools; new domain-specific practices that will differ radically among disciplines; and a new "value stream focus" that will reshape roles, team dynamics, and organizational structure.