Design Thinking, Lean, Agile, DevOps - To Build Products That Last

Event Link: GDG DevFest Hanoi 2024

Check out the latest event in Hanoi: devfest.gdghanoi.com

Introduction

This was the final talk in the GDG DevFest Hanoi 2024 with a lot of technology trends, practical insights, live coding sessions... This one is not about TECH but more about PEOPLE, TEAMS and ways of working together. All of the frameworks, methodologies, practices... are to build products that last.

Building products that last is not easy as 85% in 30k new products in the US failed after 2-3 years (accoding to a Forbes report)

& What does that mean for developers?

Not only code but also the mind, heart, soul... could be wasted in those years. It's painful -- & we should do something about it.

Of course, DON'T try using all of the frameworks, methodologies... it will be messed up if not solving real problems. Instead, Do what makes sense as Developers, to solve problems in your context. Borrow a quote from Bruce Lee "Take things as they are. Punch when you have to punch. Kick when you have to kick."

It means being flexible to choose the way you work in your situations & Focus on long-term products.

Why the main quest is building products that last?

If we only do short-term, we will not have Netflix, SpaceX, Google or any lasting products like we have today,

NetFlix is a big example, they started with DVDs, sending DVDs through mails. Struggles with that in multiple years - cannot compete with Blockbuster.

But they keep iterating with the customer problems - when they meet & pivot to streaming, it gradually turned to today NetFlix

🎯 The most important thing for developers are solving Customer Problems.

• Then, customers are willing to pay for your products.
• It's a single reason why your startup/ company will survive.

How these methodologies can help you?

1 way to consider, is the Gartner research on how Enterprise Architects combine those things. They try to leverage the best of each methodology at different stages of customer problem solving journey.

• Design Thinking at the beginning, is strong with deeply understand customers, empathize with them, before clearly defining problems that's worth to solve.
• Lean - with the Build-Measure-Learn cycle to experiment the right products to build - decide to pivot or persevere if it's the right products.
• Agile, DevOps to build product incrementally with continuous feedback from customers.

Core elements of each technique? → explore the origins

To understand more about the techniques, explore their origins...

• History of Agile, from the 70s, a paper of Dr. Winston Royce, Waterfall model is borned & also other Adaptive methods.
• But during that time, Waterfall model is dominant - & it's good enough to bring people to the moon with NASA space projects.
• NASA used to require all vendors working with them follow Waterfall model.
• In the 90s, more movements from software, technology, see great software engineers…
• Agile, Lean for software development, DevOps marked the beginning of the 21st century -- fundamentally changed how people should work together.

Design thinking - a problem-solving framework focuses on Users

Design thinking concepts started even from 60s-70s - not stick with software, but a general problem-solving framework can apply to any field.

• Main steps - Empathize with Users, their stories, emotions…
• Then, can clearly define problem statements
• Before, ideating ideas, solutions

Not necessary linear, not only empathize/ define once - but continuously refine problem to get it right.

LEAN Startup - build the right things

• Multiple versions of Lean - original from Toyota in 50s-60s
• Recommend the Lean StartUp version from Eric Ries - close to tech & software products
• Repeatable Build-Measure-Learn cycles to build the right things - from Ideas - to MVP - get meaningful Data - make decisions

Agile Manifesto → mindset & culture

• My favorite one, for me, it marked the beginning of the 21st century.
• 4 values & 12 principles, that guide the right mindset, culture for the teams/ developers to make decisions.
• Focus on individuals & interactions, working software that solve problems.
• Collaborate with customers and responding to changes to adapt to real customer needs.

DevOps Culture

Developers should be great at this already

Key Takeaways

• There're a lot of ways to work:

  • Multiple versions Design Thinking & Lean...
  • Different frameworks in Agile umbrella...
  • Multiple variants of DevOps...

• Any of that is good place to start.

• But don't try to use all of them.

• Instead focus on core values/ principles - & empower teams to make decisions, focus on the main quest...

• Gradually, can define your owned ways/ principles - if we look at some big examples like Google, Amazon, the tip is they both start with customer Focus on the user, all else will follow (from the Google 10 things), customer obsession (from Amazon Leadership principles).

🎯 it's 1 guideance to build products that last.