The Lean IT Field Guide

Chapter 11

Engineering Excellence

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

Aristotle

Excellence Everywhere

In the preceding chapters, we developed the foundation of a lean system that quickly adapts to changing situations and continuously improves. This was made possible by the belief that better process leads to better results. Using process as the foundation for continuous improvement, rather than as a tool to blindly enforce consistency, creates an environment where experimentation and innovation can flourish. Mix in a focus on people and coaching, True North, and methodical problem solving, and you have the beginnings of a robust lean system. Ironically, even with this great start, lean IT implementations ...