Do your feedback loops need to be tightened up or are they already at capacity? Feedback loops are an essential component of any DevOps team and have the potential to have a significant impact on the delivery timeframes of software but as well in Agile, it serves as an essential concept to influence process improvements. From last Wednesday’s meet-up, John Behrens helped expand our knowledge on this subject.
A feedback loop is a system component where the output is transmitted back into the network to be used in subsequent processes. It emerges through communications among the various members of the DevOps team, as well as between the product and its users.
Understanding the feedback loop requires familiarity with systems thinking and how this method is applied to the software engineering process to generate value and address issues. Systems thinking is a type of analytical analysis that examines the relationships between the elements of a system to make better decisions. Thus, feedback loops are an essential component of value stream management to accelerate the process of providing value to consumers. The benefit of adopting such a comprehensive viewpoint is that it determines the source of an issue while simultaneously gaining insight into related networks surrounding it. Feedback loops form when an action is taken after considering its effects on all system elements and then acting on that information.
Deming Feedback Cycle
The foundation of any continuous improvement strategy is a commitment to constant development. The Deming cycle is a strategic approach consisting of a four-stage process emphasizing constant advancement and improvement. Deming's cycle consists of the following steps:
Plan: Create or modify parts of the company's workflow to increase productivity. One of the most important things it can do is to convey the organization's purpose and guiding principles. It should also outline the project's objectives and show how they can be achieved.
Do: This is the stage where the strategy is implemented. After implementing the plan, you should begin collecting data on the results. This second phase might alternatively be seen as a trial run. Learning from the second phase's mistakes is necessary before moving on to the third.
Check: The next stage is to analyze the results of the trials and make any required modifications. It is essential to assess whether the objectives have been fulfilled; did you get the desired outcomes? Why and how did we get such different results? Do some data crunching and report your findings to the higher-ups.
Act: Corrective measures can be taken after past errors have been fixed. Put in place the alterations required to enhance the procedure.
Why is the feedback loop important?
Tons of reasons why, such as increased accuracy in planning, faster return on investment, better product-market fit, cheaper overall costs, etc. But that's not all; these businesses are undergoing a digital revolution. Thus, they require a faster software development cycle. For most goods on the market today, software constitutes the servicing of support services.
Missing something?
So, did you miss something in this article? Check out the recorded session to learn more.
Key topics:
Are your feedback loops tight enough?
Alternate feedback
Deming feedback cycle
Plan, Do Check, Act
2 Basic Feedback Types
Top 3 Metrics
Feedback Loops Length
How to create a feedback setting?