Optimizing the software engineering is no easy task. The intangibility of software assets in combination that most of the engineering happens at the human brain makes it difficult to see the whole picture. Optimization requires visibility. This is where the lean manufacturing provides a good foundation to optimize and improve the software engineering as a whole. The pioneers like Mary Poppendieck & many others have already paved the way.
Taking a leaf out of the lean engineering book, one of the important concepts that comes along with SAFe is “Managing the queue length”. The longer the queue, higher the waiting. In lean manufacturing, waiting is one of the seven wastes. Therefore managing queue length is important.
What is a queue in software development?
At the first glance, we don’t see any queues in software. But if you make a deeper look in to the definition of the queue, you will see many long queues. According to merriam-webster queue is a “line of people who are waiting for something”.
This can be easily mapped to “List of features which are waiting to be developed”. Going further, product backlog is the list which contains the features (user stories). Does this means the product backlog is a queue?
Is the product backlog a queue?
The product backlog interestingly is not a queue. The justification lies on the fact that queues cannot be easily re-arranged and typically works on FIFO basis. If you try to change the queue at the bus or train station, you will not have happy results.
In this meaning, you can change the order (prioritization) of the backlog so it is not a queue.
Waterfall is primarily about long & costly queues
Everything is planned and scheduled at the beginning in a waterfall project. This is essentially a long queue & it defines who will work on what even at the last week. The problem with the queues are multi-fold. It creates long waiting time for new features. The most dangerous fact is changing the queue (schedule in this case) is very costly.
For example if there going to be a change to the requirement, the whole schedule needs to be adjusted. If there are external dependencies such as delivering a component to another team, etc. then it requires lot of effort to change the queue (schedule).
This is the main reason why changes are primarily considered bad in waterfall projects, no matter what benefits they brings to the business. There are lengthy & costly procedures to pass a change in to the development.
Managing queue length
Any experienced Agile practitioner would tell you that they only plan next two iterations. This is essentially keeping the queue length short. Only the current sprint is committed (SAFe even reduces this commitment by introducing a concept called stretch goals) and it is only the queue we have in agile software development in a way.
All the other stories in the backlog are not planned & kept untouched. This comes from the fourth value of the agile manifesto “Responding to change over following a plan” as well as from the second principle of the manifesto “Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.“
Why we should have shorter queues?
Benefits of the shorter queues are many.
- The main benefit is that it facilitate the agility by facilitating changes even late in to development.Also changing is less costly.
- Secondly it makes the waiting time predictable. If there is an urgent change to be introduced, everybody knows it is maximum of one iteration which they have wait.
- Ultimately it supports the business by allowing early realization of business value by reducing the waiting time
Summary
In software development, queues are the stories or features scheduled to be taken in to development.
In conclusion, the queues are bad due to cost of change is significant but change is essential. Agile software development by design limits the queue length and therefore supporting businesses to realize benefits quickly.
The takeaway is to limit the queue size by only planning current sprint and next sprint.
Photo: http://blog.hqc.sk.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Queue-2012-12-11.jpg
Anuradha Gajanayaka 