Foundation of Business Agility: Feedback Loops

At the core to any agile approach is the ability to manage for uncertainty. This is only possible through a process of continuous learning which requires active feedback loops. Linear approaches are doomed to fail in a world of uncertainty. Feedback incorporates new knowledge which enables learning. The key is maintaining healthy feedback loops which will enable success. An iterative approach with broken feedback loops is similarly doomed.

Feedback is a core general practice of the Kanban Method. The visual board, metrics, and regular cadences all provide feedback to enable continuous learning and continuous improvement. Not only are feedback loops the foundation of business agility, empiricism is the foundation of the scientific method, Shewart-Deming process improvement cycles, and the Lean Startup model. Todd’s background is as a Chemical and Petroleum engineer, so control systems and empiricism are natural for him. Todd will share his background with control systems and explore how healthy agile approaches incorporate multivariate closed loop control systems.