The 7 wastes of software development

The 7 wastes of software development

Taiichi Ohno transformed the way the world thinks about efficiency through the Toyota Production System and Lean Manufacturing. By carefully observing the realities of automotive production, he overturned the American “more is more” mindset and helped Toyota, then a startup automaker, become the world’s largest—outpacing competitors on both quality and efficiency.

Ohno’s insights were crystallized into a framework of 7 Wastes—a powerful lens that exposed hidden inefficiencies and changed manufacturing forever. In this session, Ian McFarland applies a similar lens to the world of software. Drawing on decades of experience helping startups and large enterprises build better software, Ian will reveal the 7 Wastes he sees as endemic to software development—patterns that are often subtle, yet incredibly costly.

You’ll leave with a fresh perspective on waste in your own work and new tools to identify, articulate, and eliminate inefficiencies. There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion, so feel free to bring your thoughts—or send them in advance.

About the speaker

Ian McFarland is a seasoned engineering leader with over 30 years of experience spanning startups and global enterprises. He is the Founder and CEO of Epicenter and is currently the CTO at Kard.

Ian has held multiple senior roles, including CTO at Pear Therapeutics and Digital Garage, Founder and Chairman of Neo Innovation, and Board Member at Constructive Labs. Throughout his career, Ian has combined deep technical expertise with a rare ability to translate engineering decisions into business value—helping teams work smarter, ship faster, and build better.