Exploring the Intersection of Lean and Agile: Lessons from Theodo

WLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute’s Podcast

In this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we talk with Fabrice Bernhard and Catherine Chabiron. Fabrice is the co-founder of Theodo, a fast-growing software company, and Catherine is the author of the new book, Learning to Scale at Theodo: Growing a Fast and Resilient Company.

Fabrice and Catherine share how Theodo has seamlessly integrated lean thinking into its management system enabling it to grow rapidly while maintaining a customer-first mindset and ship quality software.

During the conversation, we dive into:

• Lean vs. Agile: How Theodo found lean thinking and how it complements agile, while challenging traditional perspectives in the software industry.

• Quality vs. Speed: Navigating the delicate balance between producing high-quality code and meeting the demands for rapid delivery.

• Customer Focus: How lean has enhanced Theodo’s customer-centric approach, making it a hallmark of their operations.

• Learning Organizations: The role of continuous learning in building resilient teams that not only solve technical problems but contribute to organizational growth.

• People Development: How Theodo leverages problem-solving at the gemba to foster a culture of continuous improvement and employee development.

Special note: During the conversation, we mention the book The Toyota Way of Dantotsu Radical Quality Improvement, which Theodo has been using to transform its approach to improving quality.