Lean or Agile: Lessons Learned from a Tech Startup
Paper Title:
Lean or Agile: Lessons Learned from a Tech Startup
Abstract:
This case study evaluates project management techniques by using a technology startup case study to explore the extreme conditions which clarify when Lean and Agile management are most successful given the organization’s goals. The paper presents novel insights on the indicators of when and where it is most appropriate to use Lean or Agile project management techniques, and how to transition between the two. The case study enriches the proposed theory with real-world examples of the success and failure in applying these techniques. The business case is of a startup, Second Nature Software LLC, that began with no product or target market, and within one year developed a cutting edge application piloted by 5 large research institutes, including two institutes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “Lean or Agile” provides a model of how any businesses can discover, develop, and deploy innovative solutions under extreme uncertainty.
Influences and project management theories referenced include: Lean Startup, Customer Development, Product Development, Design Thinking, Theory of Constraints, Scrum, Disciplined Agile Delivery, Kanban, and Total Quality Management.
PMI Talent Triangle Skill: Technical Project Management
