There are many great resources that can be used as a manifesto for quality engineering. Having a baseline for your work can never be a bad thing; my favorites are the principles of Lean Manufacturing, Manifesto for Agile Software Development, Bauhaus Principles, and Amazon Leadership Principles. And - of course - The Frugal Architect.
Based on these, I can best describe my compass of good work as:
- LESS WASTE, MORE QUALITY
Combining Lean’s waste reduction with Bauhaus’s emphasis on quality and AWS’s excellence; this encourages creating efficient and professionally engineered solutions that showcase reliable craftsmanship. - CUSTOMER EMPATHY, GLOBAL SYMPATHY
Merging AWS’s customer obsession with sustainable thinking, this promotes satisfying user needs while considering global ecological impact. - FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION, FUNCTION FOLLOWS FUTURE
This blends Bauhaus’s famous dictum with forward-thinking design, emphasizing creating adaptable, and sustainable solutions for long-term use. - ITERATE WITH INTENT
Combining Agile’s iterative approach with purposeful design, this encourages continuous improvement aimed at both user needs and broader societal benefits. - SIMPLIFY TO AMPLIFY
Merging Bauhaus simplicity with inclusive design, this suggests that streamlined processes and interfaces can make products and services more accessible to a wider range of users. - PULL VALUE, PUSH SUSTAINABILITY
This combines Lean’s pull system with environmental responsibility and advocating for value creation that’s driven by both customer needs and ecological considerations. - BIAS FOR RESPONSIBLE ACTION
Adapting AWS’s bias for action, this encourages swift decision-making and implementation, but with a strong emphasis on ethical and sustainable outcomes. - CRAFT ONCE, INSPIRE ALWAYS This combines Bauhaus’s commitment to quality craftsmanship with AWS’s innovation and Agile’s enduring value. It encourages creating solutions of high quality and timeless design that continue to inspire and influence long after their creation
These principles can serve as a nice guiding light in the complex landscape of modern engineering. They remind me to stay grounded in the fundamentals of quality while embracing innovation and sustainability.
For me, it’s a mindset; a way of approaching work with intention and purpose. They challenge me to think beyond the immediate task at hand and consider the broader implications of my actions and implementions.