SEP has spent the better part of 20 years getting good at software development.  Throughout those 20 years, SEP has sought to improve or methods and processes.  In 2004, we began using Agile practices.  In 2007, I introduced Kanban and eventually lean.  These practices helped us to become more predictable, more reliable, and produce higher quality software for less money.  Our customers will tell you that we are very good at what we do.  Even so, I feel there is more we can do to help our customers build great products.

All of these newly introduced practices did very little to ensure we were building the right product.  And, like the pizza delivery guy, on-time and predictable is great, but it’s what inside the box you care about.

So, over the last year and a half, SEP has spent considerable time considering this idea.  We feel that it’s imperative to not only build great software, but to help our clients ensure they are building the “right” product.

Over the next several blog posts, I am going to talk about the why, how, and what SEP is doing in this area of product design to specifically help our customers achieve greater success.

I started with SEP in 1997.  At that time, there were 29 employees.  Since then, the company has changed but always remained true to its core values.  I’ve moved three times since starting and will be moving again at the end of year.  Our business has grown and changed as has the industries we work in: aerospace, medical, healthcare, automotive, etc.  The number of employees will exceed 85 before summers end.  The tools, technologies, and processes for building software have changed as well.  People have come and gone, but at its core, SEP has continued to strive to create a great place to work.

Our mission statement says: “SEP’s mission is to create an environment that produces innovation and excellence in software engineering, where we bring out the best in each other, create success for our clients and make our world a better place.”  This award and recognition serves as confirmation that we on the right path.

• http://agile2010.agilealliance.org/node/6079
• http://agile2010.agilealliance.org/node/6250

You have to create an account to view them. But, once you do, you can leave comments and browse other Agile 2010 session proposals. Let me know what you think!

Kanban practitioners commonly ask two questions: “How can I reliably commit to a date using Kanban?” and “Is there a lack of perceived schedule pressure in Kanban?” People in contracting or service environments must often make commitments to clients with specific delivery dates and cost estimates. We will explore how to make target-driven commitments when managing projects with Lean principles. In addition, we will look at ways to utilize those initial estimates to appropriately set team expectations. The session will show how this encourages innovation within the team leading to process improvements. At the same time providing leading indicators of project status without willfully holding to an unrealistic goal.

More information regarding my talk can be found at http://atlanta2010.leanssc.org/home/chris-shinkle/.

Lean Software & Systems Conference 2010 Atlanta

The first Lean Software & Systems Conference will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, USA between April 21st and 23rd 2010.

Registration and the Call for Papers is now open at atlanta2010.leanssc.org

The first 50 registrants enjoy a super early discount rate of $800 plus entry to the exclusive speaker luncheon and a special limited edition Ltd WIP Society t-shirt, sponsored by David J. Anderson & Associates.

The Call for papers closes on December 14th.

Use the Twitter search tag #lssc10 to filter tweets about the event. Follow @lssc10 on Twitter for news from the organizing team.

If you are speaking or attending the conference you might like to tell people about it by adding these buttons to your web site design. If you want to use these assets on your site just paste the HTML code provided straight into your web source code or content management system.

I have worked for SEP over 12 years in roles ranging from software engineer to recruiter to development manager. I have experience customizing and fitting process models to many different domains including aerospace, defense, medical, consumer electronics, and automotive. I have used Agile and Lean methods to lead large complex projects, most notably, a military aircraft engine monitoring and maintenance system and FDA regulated remote patient monitoring system. I introduced Agile to SEP in 2004. In 2007, SEP began to adopt Kanban processes under my guidance, as I trained and mentored engineers across the company. Currently, more than 12 different projects are using pull-based approaches with Kanban.

My blog will discuss those things I have learned and continue to learn about applying Lean principles and tactics to the field of software engineering.  I hope that my struggles, ideas, and thoughts will be of use to you.