The Art of Lean Software Development

Summary

Short iterations deliver functional software to the customer regularly and frequently, allowing customer feedback to play an integral role in the ongoing development process.

Short iterations support Lean software development principles such as eliminating waste, deferring commitment until the last reasonable moment, and delivering functional software quickly.

Short iterations are driven by the need to increase customer feedback and make course corrections throughout the development cycle, both of which help ensure that the final product is what the customer really needs.

Working to a prioritized requirements list is one of the enabling techniques for implementing short iterations. Prioritized lists ensure that the team is working on the most important features.

Strictly enforcing a standard iteration length and presenting the iteration output to the customer help keep the development team focused on the requirements scheduled for the current iteration.

Delivering the iteration output to the customer, or at least making it available for testing and experimentation, gives the customer time to determine which features fit their needs and which need more work or should be dropped. More evaluation time generates better feedback and, ultimately, a better product.