
Software Delivery in Small Batches
Adam Hawkins presents the theory and practices behind software delivery excellence. Topics include DevOps, lean, software architecture, continuous delivery, and interviews with industry leaders.
Latest episodes

Jul 30, 2021 • 15min
Dr. Deming on Variation with John Willis
This is the third episode in a three-part conversation on Dr. Deming with John Willis. Adam and John dial in on one of the core tenets of the System of Profound knowledge: understanding variation. They discuss special and common cause variation and how to deal with each. Also, why have most people not heard of Deming when he has such an impact on lean theory?John Willis is a coauthor of the DevOps Handbook and host of the Profound podcast dedicated to discussing Dr. Deming.The Deming Rabbit Hole:☕️ Small Batches #100: Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge with John Willis☕️ Small Batches #84: Dr. Deming☕️ Small Batches #67: The Red Beads (Deming's experiment to introduce SPok)☕️ Small Batches #49: Variation☕️ Small Batches #50: Introducing Dr. Deming with John Willis☕️ Small Batches #51: System of Profound Knowledge with John Willis📘 Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge📘 The New Economics📘 The Essential Deming📘 Out of the Crisis🎙️The Profound Podcast
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Jul 28, 2021 • 28min
System of Profound Knowledge with John Willis
The second episode is a three-part conversation on Dr. Deming with John Willis. Adam and John focus on Deming's second book The New Economics which introduces the system of profound knowledge. This is why John's podcast is named "Profound". Nice reference. John Willis is a coauthor of the DevOps Handbook and host of the Profound podcast dedicated to discussing Dr. Deming.The Deming Rabbit Hole:☕️ Small Batches #100: Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge with John Willis☕️ Small Batches #84: Dr. Deming☕️ Small Batches #67: The Red Beads (Deming's experiment to introduce SPok)☕️ Small Batches #50: Introducing Dr. Deming with John Willis☕️ Small Batches #52: Understanding Variation with John Willis📘 Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge📘 The New Economics📘 The Essential Deming📘 Out of the Crisis🎙️The Profound Podcast
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Jul 26, 2021 • 23min
Introducing Dr. Deming with John Willis
This is the first of a three-part conversation on Dr. Deming with John Willis. Adam and John Willis introduce Dr. Deming through his books Out of the Crisis, The New Economics, and impact on lean theory over the course of a multi-decade career.John Willis is a coauthor of the DevOps Handbook and host of the Profound podcast dedicated to discussing Dr. Deming.The Deming Rabbit Hole:☕️ Small Batches #100: Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge with John Willis☕️ Small Batches #84: Dr. Deming☕️ Small Batches #67: The Red Beads (Deming's experiment to introduce SPok)☕️ Small Batches #49: Variation☕️ Small Batches #51: System of Profound Knowledge with John Willis☕️ Small Batches #52: Understanding Variation with John Willis📘 Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge📘 The New Economics📘 The Essential Deming📘 Out of the Crisis🎙️The Profound Podcast
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Jul 12, 2021 • 6min
Dr. Deming on Variation
This is the first episode of a few episodes on Dr. Deming's works. Adam recaps Dr. Deming's "System of Profound Knowledge" principle: understanding variation. There are two types of variation: common and special causes. Misunderstanding the type of variation leads to wasted effort and lost resources. Understanding variation helps optimize system performance.The Deming Rabbit Hole:☕️ Small Batches #100: Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge with John Willis☕️ Small Batches #84: Dr. Deming☕️ Small Batches #67: The Red Beads (Deming's experiment to introduce SPok)☕️ Small Batches #50: Introducing Dr. Deming with John Willis☕️ Small Batches #51: System of Profound Knowledge with John Willis☕️ Small Batches #52: Understanding Variation with John Willis📘 Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge📘 The New Economics📘 The Essential Deming📘 Out of the Crisis🎙️The Profound Podcast
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Jun 4, 2021 • 47min
The High-Velocity Edge with Steve Spear
Adam welcomes Steve Spear to the show to discuss his 2009 book "The High-Velocity Edge." This is the last episode in the series.Adam and Steve reflect on the fundamental thesis in the book: apply the scientific method everywhere to everything all the time. This leads to a conversation on how the ideas directly apply to software, deployment pipelines, the ideal flow, and applying the coaching and improvement katas.The High-Velocity Edge on Small Batches☕️ Part One: Introduction☕️ Part Two: The Four Capabilities at Alcoa☕️ Part Three: The Four Capabilities in the nuclear reactor program☕️ Part Four: Kanban & Jidoka☕️ Part Five: Systems Thinking☕️ Part Six: System Design & Operation☕️ Part Seven: Problem-Solving☕️ Part Eight: Knowledge Sharing☕️ Part Nine: Reflections☕️ Part Ten: Interview with Dr. Steven Spear (👈🏻 you are here)Links📘 The High-Velocity EdgeSee To Solve (Steve's new venture)Steve on the Idealcast with Gene KimSteve's previous DevOps Enterprise Summit Talks
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Jun 3, 2021 • 5min
The High-Velocity Edge: Part Nine
My closing thoughts on the book before the next episode featuring my conversation with Steven Spear. Part nine of a ten-part series on the 2009 book The High-Velocity Edge by Steven Spear.The High-Velocity Edge on Small Batches☕️ Part One: Introduction☕️ Part Two: The Four Capabilities at Alcoa☕️ Part Three: The Four Capabilities in the nuclear reactor program☕️ Part Four: Kanban & Jidoka☕️ Part Five: Systems Thinking☕️ Part Six: System Design & Operation☕️ Part Seven: Problem-Solving☕️ Part Eight: Knowledge Sharing☕️ Part Nine: Reflections☕️ Part Ten: Interview with Dr. Steven Spear (👈🏻 you are here)Links📘 The High-Velocity EdgeCreating High-Velocity Organizations (talk)Discovering Your Way to Greatness: How Finding and Fixing Faults is the Path to Perfection (talk)
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Jun 2, 2021 • 5min
The High-Velocity Edge: Part Eight
This episode demonstrates the third capability, knowledge sharing, and the fourth, developing skills in others, through Toyota's "jishuken" exercise. It's a process for improving problem-solving processes. Part eight of a ten-part series on the 2009 book The High-Velocity Edge by Steven Spear.The High-Velocity Edge on Small Batches☕️ Part One: Introduction☕️ Part Two: The Four Capabilities at Alcoa☕️ Part Three: The Four Capabilities in the nuclear reactor program☕️ Part Four: Kanban & Jidoka☕️ Part Five: Systems Thinking☕️ Part Six: System Design & Operation☕️ Part Seven: Problem-Solving☕️ Part Eight: Knowledge Sharing (👈🏻 you are here)☕️ Part Nine: Reflections☕️ Part Ten: Interview with Dr. Steven Spear Links📘 The High-Velocity Edge
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Jun 1, 2021 • 5min
The High-Velocity Edge: Part Seven
The episode covers applying a disciplined problem-solving method to achieve the second capability. Part seven of a ten-part series on the 2009 book The High-Velocity Edge by Steven Spear.The High-Velocity Edge on Small Batches☕️ Part One: Introduction☕️ Part Two: The Four Capabilities at Alcoa☕️ Part Three: The Four Capabilities in the nuclear reactor program☕️ Part Four: Kanban & Jidoka☕️ Part Five: Systems Thinking☕️ Part Six: System Design & Operation☕️ Part Seven: Problem-Solving (👈🏻 you are here)☕️ Part Eight: Knowledge Sharing☕️ Part Nine: Reflections☕️ Part Ten: Interview with Dr. Steven SpearLinks📘 The High-Velocity EdgeCreating High-Velocity Organizations (talk)Discovering Your Way to Greatness: How Finding and Fixing Faults is the Path to Perfection (talk)
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May 31, 2021 • 6min
The High-Velocity Edge: Part Six
This episode completes the discussion on the first capability: system design and operation by identifying the four levels of system design and their associated checks. Part six of a ten-part series on the 2009 book "The High Velocity Edge" by Steven Spear.The High-Velocity Edge on Small Batches☕️ Part One: Introduction☕️ Part Two: The Four Capabilities at Alcoa☕️ Part Three: The Four Capabilities in the nuclear reactor program☕️ Part Four: Kanban & Jidoka☕️ Part Five: Systems Thinking☕️ Part Six: System Design & Operation (👈🏻 you are here)☕️ Part Seven: Problem-Solving☕️ Part Eight: Knowledge Sharing☕️ Part Nine: Reflections☕️ Part Ten: Interview with Dr. Steven Spear Links📘 The High-Velocity EdgeThe Story of Sakichi ToyodaBiography of Taiichi Ohno
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May 28, 2021 • 5min
The High Velocity Edge: Part Five
This episode continues discussing system design and operations with a focus on using "jidoka" to build in quality control into systems. Part five of a ten-part series on the 2009 book The High-Velocity Edge by Steven Spear.The High-Velocity Edge on Small Batches☕️ Part One: Introduction☕️ Part Two: The Four Capabilities at Alcoa☕️ Part Three: The Four Capabilities in the nuclear reactor program☕️ Part Four: Kanban & Jidoka☕️ Part Five: Systems Thinking (👈🏻 you are here)☕️ Part Six: System Design & Operation☕️ Part Seven: Problem-Solving☕️ Part Eight: Knowledge Sharing☕️ Part Nine: Reflections☕️ Part Ten: Interview with Dr. Steven Spear Links📘 The High-Velocity EdgeThe Story of Sakichi ToyodaBiography of Taiichi OhnoSmall Batches #11: Preflight Checks
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