In this excellent presentation about Agile Estimation, by Christoph Steindl. The author lists the difference between what is called "Predictable Manufacturing" vs. "New Product Development". These differences are following Lean principles, and applies to any endeavor.
Reflecting on these differences, it is so clear that Software Development does not following the rules of Predictable Manufacturing defined processes. This is because Software Development is an innovative, intellectual, and usually creative effort that cannot be govered or managed by any strictly defined process. True!
Something came to my mind while reading this, which is how to improve both types of processes.
For any defined process (predictable manufacturing), it is improved by getting it more and more defined to account for new special cases, or new causes for variation.
For any empirical process (new product development), it is improved by enhancing the feedback control system, which steers the development effort, and upon which everyone in the development team should depend.
Imagine what would happen if software is developed without such feedback control system?
In a next blog, I will give examples of famous mechanisms which implements these feedback control systems in software development.
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