The Application Development Manager (ADM) is responsible for the holistic integrity and functionality of technical solutions and system products. This includes setting technology boundaries, policies, and engineering practices and standards for system evolution and integrity. Thus, the ADM role is about the content of the system.
To do this, the Application Development Manager is responsible for creating “just-enough” architecture, plus identifying standards and processes that directly relate to successfully implementing the product itself.
Counterbalancing this, the Application Development Manager also makes sure that no architectural, process, and standards constraints are placed on implementation and maintenance beyond the minimum needed to build the product correctly.
Featured resources
Getting started
Begin by reviewing the resources in the Context of the Application Development Manager Role box to understand how the ADM role fits in the context of Lean-Agile. Then work through the Reading Path (guided readings) and library pages that pertain to the role.
The Application Development Manager Reading Path. A general introduction to the Application Development Manager role including responsibilities, standard work, and alternatives for your context.
The Decomposing Requirements Reading Path describes the Lean-Agile process of understanding requirements “just in time,” adding “just enough” detail to keep the work progressing but never more than what we need at the time. Pay special attention to Decomposing a Capability into MBIs.
Going deeper
Here are additional resources to explore related to the Product Owner role.
Disciplines and Practices. Application Development Managers should be familiar with the disciplines and practices of Lean-Agile. Product Owners should review resources about requirements. If you are using SAFe, see the SAFe library page.
Resource Libraries for the Application Development Manager. This page lists the complete set of resources in the Lean-Agile Portal related to the Application Development Manager role. The Value Stream Levels library collects resources by level. Especially, see the Portfolio Level and the Program Level.
The Application Development Manager role in a transformation
The transformation to Lean-Agile involves everyone. The Application Development Manager is critical in working with leadership and management as make decisions about how to realize Lean-Agile in their own context. Lean-Agile Thinking guides these decisions so that everyone in the value stream is aligned.
- The Net Objectives Guardrails offer general principles to guide decision-making.
- The Net Objectives Inflection Point System offers specific support for decisions at the Core (Primary), Core (Secondary), Transition Supportive, and Program Level Supportive.