Lean and Agile Terminology

As part of Lean Coffee Toronto #13, we discussed defining some of the terminology behind Lean and Agile.

This is a great way to "speak the same language" about things that we might already do without even knowing what it's called.

Here is a quick list of some of my favorites:

• WGMGD: What gets measured gets done
• Six Sigma: A method that focuses on increasing process performance and decreasing process variation through a variety of tools.
• Anti-Pattern: Repeated practices that appear initially to be beneficial, but ultimately result in bad consequences that outweigh the hoped-for advantages.
• Refactor: The disciplined technique for restructuring an existing body of code, altering its internal structure without changing its external behavior. Usually referred to when fixing bad code.
• Iteration: (or "Sprint") It is a period of time where an agile team works to complete a set of Stories. This is typically from 1 to 4 weeks.
• User Story: (or "Story") A feature described in the language of the customer.
• Backlog: The set of stories that are not yet done.
• Stakeholder: Any party that has an interest in the product/service produced by an organization's value stream.

Sources:

• http://www.ccpace.com/thought/Documents/CCPace_LeanAgileGlossaryTerms.pdf
• http://www.leanagilepartners.com/glossary.html
• http://www.agilean.com/resources/faqs/agile_lean_glossary/agile_lean_glossary.htm
• http://www.netobjectives.com/glossary/