Ways to Go About Lean Software Development

“We’ll learn the basics of LSD, how it differs from SDLC, and why it should be integrated into software projects to reduce the cost of software development!”

Lean Software Development It is a sure-shot way to boost team productivity. Lean software development (LSD) is based on an agile approach to optimize development time and resources and deliver according to the project’s needs. It brings Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) into existence. Teams share the bare minimum version of the software to market, allowing them to learn user likes and dislikes and iterate the feedback.

What is the software development lifecycle?

Software Development lifecycle involves going through the process to create a piece of software – Idea generation, discussion with all stakeholders, creating wireframes/mockups/prototypes, writing software design specification, software requirement specification, getting it verified, making any necessary changes, finalizing it and forwarding it to the developers, writing the code, making changes to the code based on iterations/feedbacks/suggessions, forwarding every iteration to unit test and then integrating it with other modules, integrating all modules to create a system, making the system go through regression – integration – smoke – system – alpha/beta tests – user acceptance tests. But Lean software development can skip unnecessary steps, and speed up the process of software development.

What is lean software development?

Lean Software Development (LSD) is an Agile Framework that optimizes the overall software development process. It is popularly known as the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) strategy as it focuses on fast deliverables. It removes unnecessary project stages and involves team power to focus on MVP development. But to get the most out of an LSD, it should be scalable. It involves swift action, so it often becomes team members pace with each other. Plus, the overall decision-making process can be difficult, so it is mandatory for the customers to clearly set their requirements to make the development process run smoothly.

How does the software development lifecycle differ from lean software development?

Making software is difficult, and the process/development methodology that each company follows differs from its counterparts. Their requirements vary, technologies in demand, client calls, meetings/schedules/time zones, cost of developers, and project timelines make it a unique process every time. But all that looks structured and well documented might still vary as we are all human. Now we know what is software development lifecycle (SDLC) is. But how does it differ from lean software development (LSD)? Can both be combined? Or do they work in parallel? Lean Software Development asks us to leave behind anything that does not add any value to the product. It emphasizes the quality of the overall software project (in the eyes of the end-user). It asks you to keep testing the product at every step, and on the whole, via various methods until you realize it is good to go. Create constant feedback loops. Focus on fast delivery, but also implement every small changes that come through the feedback lifecycle. Keep the big picture in mind, and don’t obsess over the details.

Lean software development principles

Feasibility Check

It starts by inspecting the ideas, and requirements, very much like the first stage of SDLC. It should align with the end user’s expectations.

Proof of Concept

This stage is to ensure that this idea will work at all. It also lets developers know about possible corrections in advance, saving time, money, and effort.

Making a prototype

Software Developers create a smaller version of the final product so that end users may have an idea about what it will look like, and how it will work? But a prototype is different from a minimum viable product. It cannot be released independently. But it definitely brings about some value to the table and fetches feedback from the clients.

Minimum Viable Product

An MVP stems from a prototype but a prototype is not sellable, while an MVP is sellable. MVP will let you reach the full version of the product with all the features that clients want.

Quicker Time To Market

Reduces the time to develop and shows the results as soon as possible even with an imperfect code.

Empowers the Team

As the development/designing/testing teams know the technical capabilities of the product being developed, they can effectively implement any changes that come through as a result of changing demands. They also upgrade the software to new versions maintain and deliver it quickly.

Integration

Installable, usable and integrable – LSD produces an integral system that is worthy and does not lose its utility over time.

Lean Development Methodology

When the software development lifecycle measures the standard business practices to build software applications dividing it into Requirements Gathering, Software Design, Software Development, Test and Integration, Deployment, Operationalization and Maintenance, the LSD omits some steps that are beyond the scope of the project development, and that can be snipped to maximize the efficiency at each stage. Software Development Companies adopt LSD to reduce overall company costs, speeds up software delivery, meet or exceed customers’ needs, and achieve their goals by identifying inefficiencies and fixing them to run smoothly.

A Quick Recap

If Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is the way to calculate, measure, and improve the development process, lean software development (LSD) is the way to fine-tune every step, minimize discrepancies, optimize steps, deliver software faster, and meet customers’ needs.

Automated analysis software and CAST Application Intelligence Platform or AIP is an automated enterprise solution in Lean Development that verifies quality against architecture standards to make everything run correctly after deploying applications.

• It prevents and eliminates wasteful steps (unnecessary code, bureaucratic processes, quality issues)
• Enhances, amplifies, and scales learning throughout the project development
• Decides as late as possible (Projects once released cannot be reverted. Therefore, learn as much as possible, and incorporate functionality to prevent rework.
• Delivers quickly and learns from the results.
• Ensures proactive communication
• Examines the process from start to finish, right from initiation to release.

LSD can be implemented in any IT environment to improve programming practices. It makes it possible to fetch the information from the source and eliminate any intermediaries that do not address customers’ needs. It works best with Agile Methodology as it facilitates fast results. Smaller iterations offer an opportunity to communicate, discuss, and decide upon the next steps. It helps adapt to unforeseen circumstances.