Rapid Learning Cycles
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What Makes Agile Software Development Work
Agile software development methods create speed and flexibility in software projects – but why? The answer may surprise you. Agile methods work because they reduce feedback loops dramatically. Modern agile methods also improve communication and (to some extent) development methods, but most of the improvement in speed and flexibility is a result of how the
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Rapid Learning Cycles: Agile for COTS Projects
Are you frustrated by how much time it takes to purchase and configure large COTS (Commercial-Off-the-Shelf) software packages? A COTS package is better than build-from-scratch for many large government and business projects, but it’s still a huge amount of work, especially when legacy systems must be integrated with the new package. You’d love to use
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When Classic Agile Doesn’t Work – and What to Do About It
When agile just doesn’t seem to fit, it’s time to back up and think about what assumptions agile makes. If the basic assumptions of agile don’t hold on your project, then agile “by the book” isn’t likely to produce the results you want. You need the right tool for the job. Agile methods assume high
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Video: When Agile Gets Physical
In this video presentation about Agile for Hardware, Katherine Radeka and Kathy Iberle share their experiences with using Agile principles to improve the flow of work for physical products. Along the way, they’ve learned that the principles of Agile are universal but the practices and tools are specific to the problem being solved. They’ll explain
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A Short History of Queueing Theory
In 1910, the builders of early telephone systems faced a serious challenge. They needed to predict how many phone lines, circuits, and switchboard operators they would need, yet the volume and individual lengths of calls were both quite variable. It wasn’t at all obvious how to best utilize the equipment and make the minimum investment
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Achieve Agility with the Right Batch
We know that software development moves faster when the work is split into small, independent batches. In other workflows, small batches can also shorten feedback loops dramatically – if the batches are the right kind of batch. The definition of the batch is critical. Let’s look at why. The Batch Must Deliver Immediate Value We’re
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What is the Rapid Learning Cycles Framework?
The Rapid Learning Cycles Framework* is a synthesis of the best ideas from Agile Development for software and from Lean Product Development methods used in hardware. The framework is tailored for teams working on physical, chemical, and biological products – which includes mixed hardware/software projects. In these domains, Rapid Learning Cycles speed up the long,