Comments on: Bringing Lean Methods To The Front End Of Medical Product Development http://untetheredhealthcare.com/2010/01/09/bringing-lean-methods-to-the-front-end-of-medical-product-development/ A blog on the intersection of mHealth, medical decision support and design Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:41:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Craig Brandis http://untetheredhealthcare.com/2010/01/09/bringing-lean-methods-to-the-front-end-of-medical-product-development/#comment-22 Craig Brandis Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:39:41 +0000 http://untetheredhealthcare.com/?p=179#comment-22 Leonard, you make a good distinction and I should have been a bit clearer in my terms. I agree, the so-called "fuzzy" part of front end product development requires exploration and experimentation, which is usually not part of a Lean cycle -- although I'm seeing more and more companies treat this as a managed and optimized process also. Leonard, you make a good distinction and I should have been a bit clearer in my terms. I agree, the so-called “fuzzy” part of front end product development requires exploration and experimentation, which is usually not part of a Lean cycle — although I’m seeing more and more companies treat this as a managed and optimized process also.

]]> By: Leonard Kish http://untetheredhealthcare.com/2010/01/09/bringing-lean-methods-to-the-front-end-of-medical-product-development/#comment-21 Leonard Kish Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:42:21 +0000 http://untetheredhealthcare.com/?p=179#comment-21 Craig, In my experience in medical software development as well as software and product development in other verticals, you have to be a little careful in applying lean principles to product design. Design requires openness, trial and error (some waste), and maximum feedback loops about what works and what doesn't. The best designs may actually encourage "waste" in the very beginning in an effort to find and hone the design that works. In other words, it's up to users to define what the value is in value stream mapping. For developers it can be largely unknown and unknowable without constant feedback from users of the product. Developers up front may need to spend a lot of "wasted" ideas and work finding the what does work for the users. Craig,

In my experience in medical software development as well as software and product development in other verticals, you have to be a little careful in applying lean principles to product design. Design requires openness, trial and error (some waste), and maximum feedback loops about what works and what doesn’t. The best designs may actually encourage “waste” in the very beginning in an effort to find and hone the design that works.

In other words, it’s up to users to define what the value is in value stream mapping. For developers it can be largely unknown and unknowable without constant feedback from users of the product. Developers up front may need to spend a lot of “wasted” ideas and work finding the what does work for the users.

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