SDLC blueprint

Handbook

Lean Software Development — major processes & flow maps

```mermaid

Lean Software Development — major processes & flow maps

1. Value-stream overview (idea to production)

flowchart LR D[Demand signal] --> S[Shape / specify] S --> P[Plan / pull] P --> B[Build] B --> V[Verify] V --> R[Release] R --> O[Operate & learn] O -->|feedback| D

Lean measures lead time across the entire stream and waiting time between steps.

2. Waste identification loop

flowchart TD M[Map current value stream] --> I[Identify waste] I --> A[Analyze root cause] A --> C[Design countermeasure] C --> T[Test change] T --> S{Improved?} S -->|Yes| ST[Standardize] S -->|No| A ST --> M

3. A3 problem-solving flow

flowchart LR BG[Background] --> CC[Current condition] CC --> RC[Root-cause analysis] RC --> TC[Target condition] TC --> CM[Countermeasures] CM --> AP[Action plan] AP --> FU[Follow-up]

4. Pull-based work selection

flowchart TD CAP[Capacity available?] -->|Yes| PL[Pull highest-value item] CAP -->|No| W[Wait / finish current WIP] PL --> WK[Work on item] WK --> DN[Done] DN --> CAP

5. Phases A–F (Lean focus areas)

Blueprint phase Lean focus Key metric
A Shape Define value; avoid over-specification Time from idea to "ready"
B Plan Last responsible moment; pull-based commitment Queue time before start
C Build Small batches; eliminate task switching Cycle time per item
D Verify Built-in quality; catch defects at source Defect escape rate
E Release Automate deployment; reduce batch size Deploy lead time
F Learn Production feedback; close the loop Time from deploy to insight

6. Seven wastes in software (reference)

Manufacturing waste Software equivalent
Overproduction Features nobody uses
Inventory Partially done work (branches, specs not implemented)
Motion Task switching between unrelated work
Waiting Blocked items; waiting for review, approval, environment
Transportation Unnecessary handoffs between teams or phases
Over-processing Gold-plating; excessive ceremony for the risk level
Defects Bugs, rework, misunderstood requirements

7. Flow details (walkthrough)

Value-stream overview — Every piece of work flows from demand to delivery. Lean measures the total elapsed time, not just active work time. The gap between active and elapsed is waste (waiting, handoffs, queues).

Waste identification — Map the current state, identify waste using the seven-waste taxonomy, analyze root causes, design and test countermeasures, then standardize what works. This is a continuous cycle, not a one-time exercise.

A3 problem-solving — A structured approach to complex problems. The A3 paper format forces conciseness. Each section builds on the previous; the review validates reasoning quality.

Pull-based selection — Work is pulled when capacity exists, not pushed based on demand volume. WIP limits prevent overloading. This is the operational mechanism behind "deliver as fast as possible."

8. Authoritative sources & further reading

Full curated list: REFERENCE-LINKS.md.

Canonical source

Edit https://github.com/autowww/blueprints/blob/main/sdlc/methodologies/lean/process-and-flows.md first; regenerate with docs/build-handbook.py.