What is a Value Stream?

In the first episode of The Value Stream Show, hosts Andrew Davis and Steve Pereira discuss the concept of value stream thinking and how the evolution of DevOps is changing the way businesses operate. They talk about major changes happening in software development and dive into how people are beginning to reshape the way they look at the interplay between software development and collaboration. They share how organizations can build “reflex arcs” for fast decision making, and the power of value streams as a way of clarifying and optimizing the way we work. 

Host Bios

 

Andrew Davis is a DevOps and Salesforce specialist and author of the book Mastering Salesforce DevOps. As Senior Director of Research and Innovation for Copado, he leads methodology and training for Copado's customers and partners. He's spent his life working at the intersection of technology, psychology, and culture change, including 15 years as a Buddhist monk. He's working towards a world in which we can all be at peace amidst constant change, and bring energy, creativity, and care to every part of our work.

 

Steve Pereira is a veteran of software delivery and operations. He founded Visible Value Stream Consulting in 2018, and serves as a board advisor for the Value Stream Management Consortium, a contributor to the Value Stream Management Interoperability Technical Committee, and as a Value Stream Management strategist for Copado. He’s always looking for ways to bring business and technology together by facilitating visual collaboration.

What You’ll Learn

The purpose of value streams 

How to better align and deliver customer value

The importance of collaboration 

How to enable teams to leverage their full capabilities

The power of clarity when creating a value stream

Building “reflex arcs” inside a team

Critical goals in developing value streams

Maximizing an organization’s contributions

 

Quotes

• “It is valuable and important to consider the full scope of what’s happening to deliver an outcome. And seeing that as a flow of activity that should be smooth, sustainable and ideally enjoyable for the participants who are involved in it.” - Steve [11:10]
• “What it comes down to for me is, you’re enabled in a business by shortening feedback loops as much as possible. The more you can enable people with the context to act at top speed with the maximum level of autonomy to leverage their full capabilities, is really what it’s all about.” - Steve [15:53]
• “There is balance between creating work environments that are optimized for the way humans interact. This sense of belonging and membership whether it is a small team or an organization.” - Andrew [36:03]
• “There are a couple of important shifts we need to take in our thinking if we want to capture the benefit of stories and storytelling to create coherence across a team and across an organization. Stories are critically important because they fit the way the human mind works. We love stories. We remember stories. - Andrew [24:43]

 

Timestamps

[00:25] Intro

[02:24] What are value streams?

[05:03] Revenue generating roles today

[07:10] Delivering customer value

[10:04] Focusing on strategy

[13:13] Building muscle memory when creating strategy

[16:27] The value of customer insights

[20:15] The importance of marketing flow

[22:43] Hiring a team of experts and specialists 

[28:19] Establishing reflex arcs in organizations

[30:42] How core streams facilitate strategy and focus

[33:31] Coming together to build trust and better communication

[38:57] The satisfaction of progress

[41:27] Nailing the basics allows for positive outcomes 

[43:30] Outro

 

Resources