Lessons from my father — Six Sigma based “predictive” engineering management

My father, a mechanical engineer, was VP of Quality Control and Process in the manufacturing industry. Growing up, I often heard about Six Sigma, ISO certifications and process improvements. It’s only after managing teams for years did I actually appreciate and implement his teachings :).

For this post, I am taking inspiration from the principles of Maintenance and Six Sigma. I have adopted these principles to explain various phases of software engineering management. These phases represent the maturity and effectivity of management teams:
- Reactive Management.
- Preventive Management.
- Predictive Management.

What do I mean..

If businesses want to be ahead of the curve, they need to see the curve before the competition. This needs continuous, deliberate vigilance and pro-active action. Engineering management is no different. Leaders need to invest time and energy to be offensive in their corrective actions and stay ahead!

Phase 1 — Reactive Management
Young, inexperienced management usually begins here. Corrective action is usually an after effect of failures. Depending on situations, there are various reasons why this can happen. In the nascent…