Note: Originally published on DevOps.com Since the Lean production method for manufacturing arose in the 1930s, organizations everywhere have been seeking ways to apply it to reduce waste and increase productivity. This model has served thousands of companies well, from manufacturing and product design to software development. Yet, one difficulty that comes up when discussing or applying Lean in software development is the debate about what is and isn’t considered value-added work. Some people get defensive when certain activities are labeled non-value-add (NVA). Others argue that if a customer expects an activity and is willing to pay for it, it must be value-add …