Implementing Lean Software Development: From Concept to Cash

Chapter 2. Principles

Principles and Practices

Principles are underlying truths that don’t change over time or space, while practices are the application of principles to a particular situation. Practices can and should differ as you move from one environment to the next, and they also change as a situation evolves.

Let’s say that you want to change your software development practices because they aren’t working very well, but it’s not clear what new practices you should adopt. In other words, you would like to move away from something, but it’s not clear where you are heading. As you look for a new approach to software development, is it better to spend your time understanding principles or studying practices?

There is a learn-by-doing approach: ...