In case the constraint proves to be difficult to overcome and starts to affect the other areas of the project, then re-evaluating the scenario may be necessary, which leads us to the next step.
4 – Elevate the constraint
If the previous step resulted to a new constraint or wasn’t effective enough, it is necessary to consider implementing major changes to the system at this point, to exploit the constraint. Perhaps there are dependencies or underlying factors affecting the constraint, that it is impossible to solve it without changing the circumstances surrounding it. The goal of this step is to alleviate the constraint by improving it, making changes to it, or completely replacing it entirely.
5 – Return to step 1, but beware of inertia
As in the Third Way of DevOps, continuous learning and experimenting is necessary. It is just as important to continuously improve in order for the product to remain relevant. This is also the part that focuses on adaptability, scalability, and product evolution — factors that are determined by the evolving needs of the end users.
The Thinking Process
In the event that a major issue with an old, tightly architectures program is brought up in a meeting, it definitely calls for problem solving to identify the areas that could’ve been done better, the things that could’ve been prevented, things that should’ve been done, and what could’ve been done earlier on, before the program lost flexibility and evolved into a rigid, somewhat dinosaur like program that it has become. The Thinking Process is a scientific method of problem solving, looking for the cause and effect in a situation, in order to determine the root cause the appropriate solution to the problem. Here below are the steps:
What needs to be changed?
In the case of an unyielding software architecture, perhaps a more flexible building approach can be adapted so that the program doesn’t lose its agility and adaptability to change.
What should it be changed to?
From building on top of the existing framework to building with micro-services. The latter offers greater flexibility and makes it easy to decouple and re-implement services whenever the need be.
What actions will cause the change?
Understanding the difference between constraints and the factors that create it is key in creating the change that is necessary in order to move towards a different approach in building and developing software. Improvements may also have to be implemented to increase the level of work efficiency and improve the quality of the work output.
Better Equipment, Better Build
As mentioned earlier, a constraint can be present in any part of the software development process. Going back to software architecture as an example, aside from using micro-services to improve the features of a program, using automation can increase the speed at which developers can build, test, deploy, and continuously monitor a system during and after production. An Integrated Deployment Environment houses the development process in one place; from writing the code, testing it, and packaging it. Through this environment, managing the entire project is made more convenient and more organised. It also employs sophisticated methods in testing and monitoring, resulting in a more efficient workflow from start to finish.