Title: Implementing lean thinking in software development - a case study from India

Authors: Gopalakrishnan Narayanamurthy; Anand Gurumurthy; Shyam Prasath Balagangatharan

Addresses: Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK), IIMK Campus P.O., Kunnamangalam, Kozhikode, Kerala 673570, India ' Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK), IIMK Campus P.O., Kunnamangalam, Kozhikode, Kerala 673570, India ' Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK), IIMK Campus P.O., Kunnamangalam, Kozhikode, Kerala 673570, India

Abstract: Implementation of lean thinking (LT) in the service sector has been widely reported. Although few studies describing the application of LT in software development (SD) are available, not many are from an emerging market such as India. Our study addresses this gap by using a single-case study methodology to understand the lean approach adapted by a firm in India to overcome the issues faced in its SD process. Data were collected through direct observation for a period of one year. Difficulty in integrating work from various teams, long release cycles for the developed software products, late shipments, quality issues, customers' dissatisfaction, and high operational costs were the problems faced by the case company. These problems motivated the case company to adopt LT at the team level by following the scrum process. This study identified how the LT approach guided the case company to achieve responsiveness, regular interaction between employees, involvement of customers, and accomplishing targets within the planned timeline. This study helps both academicians and practitioners to understand the approach followed to implement LT in a SD firm in India.

Keywords: lean thinking; software development; lean services; case study; India.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2019.096614

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2019 Vol.25 No.1, pp.68 - 91

Received: 20 Feb 2016
Accepted: 24 Jan 2017
Published online: 07 Dec 2018 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article