LAMDA Cycle

The basic learning cycle of lean product and process development that encompasses five classes of developer activity:

1. Look: Practice first-hand observation, or go and see for yourself.
2. Ask: Pose probing questions to understand the heart of the issue, e.g., asking why repeatedly to identify potential root causes.
3. Model: Use engineering analysis, simulation, or prototypes to predict expected performance.
4. Discuss: Talk about your observations, models, and hypotheses with peers, mentors, and developers of interfacing subsystems.
5. Act: Test understanding experimentally or otherwise take action to validate learning.

The point of LAMDA is to encourage continuous, substantive learning and deep understanding within the development organization. (Adapted from Ward 2007, Prologue xiii.)

See: Lean Product and Process Development