Lean Process Design. A Concept of Process Quality. David N. Card

Lean Process Design

A Concept of Process Quality

David N. Card [email protected]

ƒ Background and Objectives

ƒ Concepts of Lean

ƒ Lean Process Design Process

ƒ Summary

Background

ƒ CMMI® requires the definition of processes

that cover certain goals and practices • Requires “sufficiency”

• Does not provide criteria for a “good” process – not an appraisal consideration

ƒ Lean principles provide “goodness” criteria for processes

ƒ Lean usually applied as a re-engineering

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Objectives

ƒ Identify the process “goodness” criteria implicit in Lean principles

ƒ Explain how these can be applied during the

design and initial definition of processes

The Lean Misconception

ƒ Lean is not about “light weight” processes

ƒ “Lean” refers to reducing inventory and “work

in progress”

ƒ Lean is accomplished through robust

processes • Simple • Reliable

• Standardized • Enforced

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Five Lean Principles

ƒ Value – identify what is really important to the customer and focus on that

ƒ Value Stream – ensure all activities are necessary and add value

ƒ Flow – strive for continuous processing through the value stream

ƒ Pull – drive production with demand

ƒ Perfection – prevent defects and rework Value Stream = Business Process

Views of Lean

ƒ Five Observed Principles

• Value • Value Stream • Flow • Pull • Perfection ƒ Technical Practices

• Similar to Six Sigma (including Statistical Process Control)

• Adds queuing theory perspective

Queuing Theory Language & Culture Industry Domain Perfection

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Lean Techniques

ƒ Realize the principles of Lean

• Methods and tools for defining, analyzing, and improving processes

• Criteria for efficient and effective processes

• Dimensions of process performance subject to control

ƒ Based on queuing theory (a process may be

viewed as a system of queues)

Example Manufacturing Process

Inventory and Work in Progress Enable Inefficient and Unreliable Processes!

Stock of Frames

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Example Software Process

Requirements Inventory Construct Tests Construct Software Test Software Software Product Stock of Tests

Waterfall model implies large WIP; Incremental and agile imply smaller WIP,

but are they “robust” enough?

Stock of Software

Limits to Performance

Continuous Improvement Increases Capacity and

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Implications of Queuing Theory

ƒ Broadens concerns for managing the

capacity of organizations

ƒ Leads to design criteria for process definition • Queues with certain properties operate more

efficiently

ƒ Suggests candidate measures

The Capacity Myth

ƒ Most engineering organizations behave as if

their system/software development capacity is elastic

• Capacity expands to accommodate the need • Projects are planned in isolation

ƒ Systems have limits to performance

• Organizational performance must be managed to facilitate project success

• Organizational performance is not simply an aggregation of individual projects

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Lean Process Design

ƒ Why – begin the process improvement

journey with efficient and effective

processes, not just compliant processes

ƒ How – use Lean concepts to make

decisions about the organization and composition of processes, more than human factors considerations

ƒ When – during process design and initial

Kaizen

ƒ A facilitated team activity

ƒ Focused on improving an existing

process or (more commonly) subprocess

ƒ Applies Lean principles

ƒ Typically involves tools such as • Quality Function Deployment

• Process Mapping

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Process Size as a False Trail

ƒ Lean is not about the “size” or “volume” of the process definition

ƒ Process definition includes

• Organizational standard process

• Organizationally-defined alternatives • Project-defined alternatives

ƒ Volume of alternatives and variations often exceed the volume of the basic

Process Proliferation

Organizational Standard Process

Organizationally Defined Alternatives

Projects Defined Processes

Eliminate OSP Element

Eliminate Project Variations

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Lean Process Design Process

ƒ Requires a focus on the architecture or “system design”, as well as the design of subprocesses

ƒ Provides common and specific criteria

for each level of design

ƒ Use estimates of process performance

to help make design decisions

ƒ Incorporates traditional process

Lean Process Design Process

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Lean Process Design Criteria

ƒ Break work into “small” packages

ƒ Process small packages of work continuously

ƒ Distribute work evenly across subprocesses

ƒ Minimize subprocess variations

ƒ Minimize hand-offs between subprocesses

ƒ Reuse subprocesses within the architecture

ƒ Avoid redundant or duplicative tasks

ƒ Eliminate “just in case” activities

ƒ Minimize waiting and delays

ƒ Identify and mitigate performance constraints

Lean Subprocess Design Criteria

ƒ Use proven subprocesses

ƒ Ensure subprocess are followed

ƒ Keep subprocesses simple

ƒ Plan for control of subprocess performance

ƒ Build quality assurance into each subprocess

ƒ Avoid redundant or duplicative tasks

ƒ Eliminate “just in case” activities

ƒ Minimize waiting and delays

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Human Factors Criteria

ƒ Process definitions are intended for human users, must be

• Understandable

• Natural/Intuitive

• Accessible

• Effectively supported by tools

• Etc.

ƒ Process definitions are only one element of a process instantiation (also, people, tools, and input)

Lean Software Management

Case Study: Timberline Inc

Peter Middleton Amy Flaxel

Ammon Cookson

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Work Balance Chart - Initial

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5

4 Engineering Design / Develop QA Design Black Box Testing

QA Design & Execute White Box Testing

Training Development Tech Comm Development

QA Smoke / Regression Testing

QA Develop & Execute Automation

QA Execute Black Box Testing

Estimat

e

d Cycle Time

TT = 2

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5

4 Engineering Design / Develop

Engineering Design / Develop

QA Design Black Box Testing

QA Design & Execute White Box Testing

Tech Comm Development -Training Development (1/2) QA Execute Black Box Testing -QA Smoke / Regression Testing QA Develop & Execute

Automation

Estimat

e

d Cycle Time

TT = 2

Work Balance Chart – Post Adjustment

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Example: Cycle Time Analysis

Units-Work Ty pe C ycle Times ( Actuals) Run Chart

Performance Dimensions

ƒ Task size

ƒ Work arrival rate

ƒ Cycle time

ƒ Effort

ƒ Delay/Waiting

ƒ Defects

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Summary

ƒ Lean is not about the volume of process

definitions

ƒ Processes can be designed, up front, to

be more efficient and effective with Lean principles

ƒ Good process design requires

engineering at both the system (overall process) and subprocess levels

ƒ Lean helps identify the critical measures of performance

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