When you think about DevOps, you might picture software teams shipping features fast. But what happens when your product is an autonomous vehicle, a missile system, or a next-gen fighter jet?
Leaders from Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin teamed up to share how they’re applying Value Stream Management and DevOps principles to the defense sector — integrating software, hardware, and firmware into one unified flow. Their scenario: an autonomous vehicle with enhanced collision avoidance, modeled to reflect real-world defense systems while allowing public discussion.
Why This Matters
Unlike most agile case studies, this isn’t just about code. These teams deal with long lead times, physical constraints, and strict safety regulations. But by mapping value streams, aligning architecture, and applying test-driven development even in hardware, they achieved faster integration cycles, better planning across domains, and earlier visibility of risk.
Key Takeaways:
-
Think in Streamlets: Break down the value stream into smaller deliverable components (like collision avoidance), and manage them as cross-functional units.
-
Use Multiple Planning Horizons: Hardware may require yearly cycles; software, quarterly. VSM helps coordinate both.
-
Leverage Digital Twins: Emulate physical systems for early validation, reducing the need to wait for full hardware availability.
-
Architect for Modularity: Design systems that support incremental delivery and simulation-based testing.
-
Decompose Work, Reduce Batch Size: Even hardware can iterate — if you plan small enough and validate continuously.
-
Synchronize Without Uniformity: Not all teams need the same cadence; what matters is synchronized integration.
This case challenges the notion that agility ends at the software boundary. It shows that with the right mindset, tools, and system thinking, even the most complex environments can move faster — and safer.
🎥 Watch the full presentation to see how large-scale defense projects are adapting agile principles to reality.
📌 Want more stories like this? Browse our VSM Case Stories page for insights from Netflix, Deutsche Telekom, Telstra, and more.
Dionysis Svoronos
Denys is a value stream coach and transformation leader with over a decade of experience in agile delivery and strategic execution. He’s a top writer in leadership on Medium, a public speaker at events like Flowtopia, and a board member at the Value Stream Management Consortium. Denys helps organizations align strategy to execution, improve flow, and lead change with clarity.
Comments 0