Value stream

As explained in Architecture Modernization: Socio-technical alignment of software, strategy, and structure

A value stream is a sequence of activities that creates new value, especially from discovering user needs through building and delivering software.

A software development value stream is the sequence of activities a team performs to discover user needs, build a solution, deliver it, and validate that it addresses those needs. Activities may include discovery, planning, coding, testing, and deployment. section 1.2 section 6.1.1

An independent value stream supports fast flow through four characteristics:

• Aligns to a loosely coupled business subdomain or product area. section 6.1.1
• Pursues purposeful business outcomes rather than predefined requirements. section 1.2
• Belongs to an autonomous team empowered to make product and technology decisions. section 1.2
• Uses software that the team can change and deploy independently. section 6.1.1

Possible value streams

A price calculation service exposed through an API, a search service with an API and UI widget, or a mobile application small enough for one team to own can each form a value stream. section 6.1.1

Independence does not mean isolation: dependencies between streams remain, but change coupling can force teams to coordinate and delay delivery. Collaborative EventStorming can help teams identify domains and subdomains; related streams may also need to work together toward shared business outcomes. section 1.2.1 section 1.2.2

Figure 6.1 The high-level activities in an independent value stream

Use the activity overview to trace the high-level flow through an independent value stream. section 6.1.1

How Architecture Modernization: Socio-technical alignment of software, strategy, and structure covers it

How deep it goes

Defines the activity sequence and four independence characteristics, while presenting activities at a high level.

Examples

Names price calculation and search services, plus a single-team mobile application, as possible value streams.

What you can do after

Evaluate whether a stream supports fast flow by checking domain alignment, outcomes, team autonomy, and independently changeable software.

How it connects

Connects value streams to domain boundaries, team autonomy, business outcomes, software decoupling, and change coupling.

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Also explained in

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  Automating API DeliveryA value stream is the complete sequence of activities and information flows required to create and deliver a product or service.
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  Shipping Go: Develop, deliver, discuss, design, and go againThe connected sequence of activities through which work is transformed into value for a customer.

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Related concepts

• continuous integrationincludes · Continuous integration is a software development practice in which code changes are integrated frequently into a shared codebase and automatically validated.
• independent value streamincludes · An independent value stream is a software development value stream aligned to a business subdomain, owned by one empowered team, and supported by independently deployable capabilities.
• software development life cycleequivalent to · The software development life cycle is the organized set of activities through which software is planned, specified, designed, built, tested, delivered, operated, and maintained.
• independent service heuristicsmeasured by · Independent service heuristics are a set of heuristics for assessing the independence of a value stream and identifying concerns that may limit its effectiveness.
• releasehas part · A software release is a version or set of changes made available to intended recipients for deployment or use.
• deploymenthas part · Deployment is the process of making software, models, or other computational systems available to operate in a target environment.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Architecture Modernization: Socio-technical alignment of software, strategy, and structure. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.