An Agile team is experiencing delays because critical decisions regarding the product's direction are often deferred until late in the development cycle, leading to significant rework. This contradicts a core Lean principle. Which principle is being violated, and what is its intent?
- ADeliver fast; the team needs to make decisions at the last responsible moment.
- BBuild integrity in; the team needs to perform more testing.
- CAmplify learning; the team needs more training.
- DDecide late; the team needs to make decisions even later.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Deliver fast; the team needs to make decisions at the last responsible moment.
The Lean principle 'Decide late' is often misunderstood. Its full intent is to 'Decide as late as possible, but no later than the last responsible moment.' The problem describes deferring decisions *too* late, beyond the last responsible moment, which leads to rework and delays. The principle of 'Deliver fast' also encompasses making timely decisions to maintain flow and avoid delays.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Building integrity in relates to quality, not directly to the timing of strategic product decisions.
- C. Amplify learning is important, but the problem is about decision timing, not a lack of learning capacity.
- D. This misinterprets 'Decide late' by encouraging *even later* decisions, which is the opposite of the solution needed.
Lean Principle: Decide at the Last Responsible Moment
A refined understanding of 'Decide late', emphasizing that decisions should be deferred to gather maximum information but made before the cost of not deciding becomes prohibitive, enabling fast delivery.
- Avoids premature commitment in volatile environments.
- Requires identifying the 'last responsible moment' for each decision.
- Aims to maximize flexibility while ensuring timely progress.
Memory trick: Decisions late, but not too late, hit the responsible moment, seal your fate.