What Are The Key Lean Software Development Principles?

Custom development of websites, applications, or software is an ideal choice for organizations that are keen to benefit from all the perks that the software development industry can provide. A large number of retail and trading businesses now opt for custom eCommerce development as it helps in implementing tailored options into the application or the frontend and backend parts of their website. The concept of hiring remote developers to fulfill such software-related requirements has become extremely common among firms and businesses. There are many methodologies and approaches that developers may choose from for a software development project. The most common methodologies are Agile, Waterfall, Extreme Programming (XP), and Lean. 

Lean Software Development (LSD) is an agile framework and software development methodology that highlights and focuses on the continuous delivery of value to the customer through the rapid development and deployment of high-quality software. This approach minimizes the unnecessary use of any resources and emphasizes only what the final product requires. 

The lean development strategy first came into practice in the manufacturing industry. Toyota, a famous auto manufacturer, invented this strategy to minimize waste as much as possible and focus more on customer satisfaction and top-notch quality. This was achieved by the lean development approach where the functions of the assembly line and production of the automobiles were enhanced. These principles, which were initially known as Toyota Production System, were later adopted by many other companies and industries and became known as the lean development principles. 

Benefits and Drawbacks of Lean Software Development 

Like every other software development methodology, lean software development has its own benefits and drawbacks. The project's requirements and target completion time help in determining which methodology would be ideal for it and the advantages and disadvantages of each software development approach play a key role in this decision. 

Benefits of Lean Software Development 

• In a lean development approach, tools and automation are utilized to streamline the development process. This makes the entire process of completing the project effective and efficient. 

• This methodology requires frequent reviews and suggestions by the project manager and the client; thus, constant adjustments and improvements to the development process help eliminate waste and inefficiency. 

• Lean development is all about focusing on the most valuable features and this allows for quicker delivery of the final product to the client. This approach is beneficial when an organization wishes to have a new program, or updates on an existing program, up and running for its users as soon as possible. 

• This development approach tends to always bring out the perfect final outcome as the approach requires close collaboration between developers, designers, and other stakeholders, which can lead to better communication and teamwork. This leaves minimum to no chances of errors in the final result. 

• The iterative approach in this methodology allows the entire development process to be flexible. Due to this, making quick adjustments and changes is easy and this helps lean developers in coping with a rapidly changing environment.

Drawbacks of Lean Software Development 

• The time frame for delivery of the final product is very short in the lean development approach, compared to other frameworks. As a result, the team has to communicate constantly and hold meetings on an almost everyday basis to make sure everything is going smoothly and to keep the team members on the same page. The complexity of the deadline thus requires the team to invest more time into completing tasks and collaborating with the team in a short span of weeks or even days.

• Working with a lean development approach is challenging and can cause errors and chaos if the team is inexperienced. A shorter deadline makes it difficult for the project manager to scale the team if required amidst the workflow. If your team is remote-based, make sure that the onshore or nearshore lean software development experts that you hire are highly skilled, or invest in the training of your developers before diving into the development process.

• Any mishaps or delays in the development process can destroy the entire project timeline and make it challenging to submit the final product on the delivery date. For example, if a team member gets sick or falls out, the project modules assigned to them will remain incomplete. Thus, the use of high-end project management tools and a backup contingency plan should always be a part of the development process. 

The Key Lean Software Development Principles 

An important aspect of being a lean developer is to be aware of and practice the principles of lean software development. These principles, also known as lean manufacturing principles, emphasize the key features of the lean development approach such as the elimination of waste, continuous improvement, and the delivery of value to the customer. The principles of lean development are as follows:

• Minimizing waste in the development process is a key aspect of the lean approach. Any activities that do not add value to the product or process are eliminated completely. 

• Focus on identifying features that add the highest value to the final product is essential. Customer satisfaction is prioritized the most in lean development.

• Learning is encouraged in a lean development approach. The use of data and experimentation is encouraged throughout the project timeline to continuously improve the development process and product.

• Maximum collaboration between the developer team members, the project manager, and the client itself is vital. Without this, achieving the goals of the project is almost impossible when working with the lean development methodology. Constant communication between the team members helps in confirming that all the project modules are being handled as per schedule.

• Instead of delivering the entire project at once, lean developers divide the project into smaller modules. As they get completed, they are delivered to the client for feedback and review. 

• Tracking the progress of the development process is a key principle of this methodology. Using project tracking and management tools allows a seamless flow of work. 

• Sustaining momentum is another key aspect of lean development. The rapid-paced approach to software development requires the team to avoid disruptions and distractions throughout the work progress. 

Outsource Lean Developers With Blue Coding 

The use of software is vital in all aspects of almost every industry in the current era. The demand for developers has increased dramatically over the past few years and as per statistics, Latin America is one of the best regions for outsourcing software developers. If you are looking to hire remote software developers, then Blue Coding can help make your hiring process easier. Our team consists of highly skilled developers and IT experts who strive to deliver the best of their services. Contact us to learn more about our services and features.