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Criterion
Value Stream Mapping workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Delivery
Value Stream Mapping
Paper illustration for Dot Estimation.
Facilitation
Dot Estimation
Four paper stations connect system purpose, quality goals, risk cards and focused investigation with a target and gap profile.
Architecture
LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)
Paper illustration of a four-column Kanban board with limited ongoing work, a visible blocker and a review loop.
Engineering
Kanban
Purposedifferent
When delivery work dissolves into wait times, handoffs, and hidden effort, Value Stream Mapping makes the actual flow visible. The method exposes bottlenecks, idle time, and feedback loops so lead time and improvement levers become tangible.When size or effort can only be estimated roughly, Dot Estimation condenses the group's experience into a quick range. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as an Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, and Discussion Targets.LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail.When work sits in too many parallel streams, throughput suffers and no one sees the bottlenecks. Kanban makes the flow of work visible and limits overload so a system becomes calmer and more predictable.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowMediumMedium
Timedifferent
1-3 h5-20 min3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additionalOngoing
Participantsdifferent
4-103-201 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people2-12
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck listEffort Heatmap, Risk Signals, Discussion TargetsLean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checksKanban board, WIP policies, Flow metrics
Tagsno overlap
LeanFlowWasteDelivery
EstimationEffortRisk
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
FlowVisual managementDelivery
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