Indiana Emerges as Front-Runner in Lean and Kanban Software Development Adoption

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Indianapolis, IN | June 11, 2009

Key Highlights

• Three Indiana companies—Bosch, Inkubook.com, and SEP—recognized as industry leaders at the Annual Lean & Kanban Conference
• Indiana establishes itself as a U.S. front-runner in Lean Thinking and kanban systems for software development
• SEP’s Chris Shinkle invited to speak at prestigious Agile 2009 and QCon conferences following standout presentation

Indiana Companies Lead Software Development Innovation at International Conference

Three Indiana-based companies took center stage at the Annual Lean & Kanban Conference, showcasing how Lean Thinking and kanban systems have transformed their software development practices. Bosch, Inkubook.com, and SEP were recognized as favorite speakers by attendees from three continents, demonstrating Indiana’s emerging leadership in progressive software engineering methodologies.

About the Lean & Kanban Conference

David J. Anderson, event organizer and President of David J. Anderson & Associates, created The Lean & Kanban Conference to drive progress in software development through shared best practices and innovations. The three-day conference, held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Miami, FL, attracted over 50 attendees from three continents and featured 18 speakers.

Indiana: An Unexpected Leader in Software Engineering Excellence

“Indiana has emerged as a front-runner in the adoption of Lean and kanban ideas here in the United States,” said Anderson. “I see a high level of professionalism and expertise and a focus on continuous improvement. The state tends to be associated with older industries, but the software engineering professionalism shown by teams like SEP, Inkubook and Bosch clearly establishes Indiana as a leader in a new field.”

Why Indiana Companies Were Selected

Anderson specifically invited Bosch, Inkubook.com, and SEP to participate because each company offered a unique perspective in applying Lean principles to software engineering through kanban systems.

SEP’s Kanban Success Story

Chris Shinkle, Development Manager at SEP, delivered a presentation titled “Embracing Kanban” that resonated strongly with conference attendees.

“I was honored when David asked me to speak at the conference,” said Shinkle. “My presentation allowed me to tell the SEP story and share our experience using kanban systems to manage our software development teams. I was thrilled by how the presentation was received.”

Industry Recognition and Expert Feedback

Alan Shalloway, CEO of Net Objectives, attended the conference and praised Shinkle’s presentation.

“Chris Shinkle’s presentation on Embracing kanban was very insightful,” said Shalloway. “More than any other presentation, it highlighted the impact kanban can have on the collaborative ability of a team. It had a definite impact on my thinking.”

National Speaking Opportunities Follow Conference Success

Following the overwhelming response to his Miami presentation, Shinkle was invited to speak at two prestigious industry conferences:

• Agile 2009 International Conference in Chicago
• QCon Conference in San Francisco

“Both are very prestigious conferences in our industry,” explained Shinkle. “It was humbling to be asked to speak as a result of the wonderful response in Miami. It is a privilege to share what SEP is learning and implementing using kanban systems in software development.”

The Impact of Lean Thinking on Software Development

Anderson and other thought leaders in the industry have been progressing toward incorporating Lean principles into software development, providing extraordinary improvements in:

• Product quality
• Time to market
• Profitability

The adoption of kanban systems allows software development teams to visualize workflow, limit work in progress, and continuously improve their processes—resulting in more efficient and collaborative team environments.