Eliminating Software Defects with Jidoka—The Overlooked Pillar of Lean
Many development organizations are experimenting—but getting mixed results—with lean development techniques. As a test or development manager, you have the power to help eliminate defects—the largest source of waste in development—and the enormous rework costs they incur. Bill Curtis discusses Jidoka, another pillar of lean, which uses automation to help developers detect and eliminate defects during development. Bill describes a technology framework that uses static analysis, behavioral emulation, and other techniques for analyzing and measuring non-functional quality characteristics such as reliability, security, performance, and maintainability. He presents data showing correlations between improvements in structural quality measures and reductions in operational defects and rework-related costs. In addition, Bill presents the most frequent types of structural defects for each software quality characteristic. Gain a broader vision of how to apply lean principles to your software development and maintenance practices.