At least for a while longer at Sphere of Influence we are preserving the distinction between Agile and Lean for our internal training.  Here are the definitions used within the firm:

• Agile : (1) an intense closed loop feedback circuit for the people requesting system features and functionality; (2) emphasis on accountability to business objectives & priorities; (3) minimal bureaucracy and ceremony.

• Lean : (1) streamlining productivity and quality by having less work in a pending or unfinished state and by controlling the rate each type of work enters the process; (2) pull-based one-piece flow and zero defect development processes; (3) delighting customers with speed and quality.

People are starting to associate Agile with being fast, but that’s not necessarily helpful. Agile projects are not automatically faster on paper, meaning that we don’t plan ultra-short schedules on the Gantt.  In practice, Agile projects finish earlier because the on-paper schedule tends to be more consistent with the reality of execution.  Agile projects move at a consistent pace with less slippage and greater changes of being accepted at delivery.

The real value from Agile comes from standing up a closed-loop feedback circuit and the intense re-prioritization that occurs on a daily basis.  Because of these, Agile delivers features and functionality that are spot-on in terms of matching business need with a minimal technical footprint.  Compared to requirements-up-front approaches, Agile generates fewer features but the features are more potent; thus requiring less end-to-end time in development.  That’s very different from the “waste anything but time” vision people are starting to have about Agile projects.

When it comes to moving faster, that’s the dominion of Lean. Lean focuses on purging inefficiency from the development process, mostly by cutting work that is either throw-away or do-over.  The more advanced an organization is at applying Lean - the shorter those Gantt charts can be on paper.  Lean really does affect productivity in a serious and measurable way.