The Origin of Continuous Design

While the mantra of the DevOps community states that faster software innovation means better competition in the marketplace, the importance of continuous innovation in software design is often overlooked. Yet analysis has shown that design is a key element in the performance of technology companies, and that’s how the idea Continuous Design—that is, increasing the speed and efficiency with which design decisions are made—emerged at CloudBees. In an article on TechBeacon, CloudBees’s Principal Designer Kai Brunner talks about the concept of Continuous Design and what it can mean for the design function within an enterprise.
When considering design, it’s important to understand the chain of influence in your organization. Who influences the design of your product? How many people are able to influence design decisions? Understanding this dynamic will shine light on where design strategies are either constricted or magnified, and reducing the number of decision makers can help to streamline the design process. It’s also critical to set up regular checkpoints with engineering leadership to ensure feasibility in implementation within your timeline.
It’s also necessary to determine the areas where your organization is error-prone, both internally and externally. Three key areas of awareness are company self-awareness, knowing the standard and adjusting biases. As Kai writes, “All who take part in the execution of making the product, must be aware of how the top influencers think about design, whether they are adept at it or not. The organization throughout is to have this self-awareness.” Through these ongoing efforts, your organization will be able to establish a solid implementation of Continuous Delivery.
Read the full article here , and stay tuned for Part 2 of the discussion.