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The automotive industry is undergoing a paradigm shift, driven by software-defined vehicles (SDVs), increasing complexity, and the relentless pace of technological innovation. At the Beyond the Engine summit, Dr. Zora Slavik and Dr. Matthias Burger of Bosch, and Dr. Johannes Bohnet, CEO of Seerene, came together to present a groundbreaking vision for revolutionizing software production. Their insights emphasized the critical importance of lean principles, data-driven methodologies, and a culture of continuous improvement in navigating these challenges.
In a world where competitive differentiation hinges on software, their presentation offered not just a roadmap but a rallying cry for transformation.
Lean manufacturing principles, developed in the context of hardware production, have been the gold standard for efficiency and process optimization for decades. However, as Dr. Burger highlighted, transferring these principles to software production is far from a simple copy-paste exercise.
“In software production, the output isn’t physical,” he explained. “We’re dealing with lines of code, workflows, and processes that are invisible without the right tools and approaches. But the goals remain the same: minimize waste, maximize value, and continuously improve.”
Their adaptation of lean principles for software production included:
By adapting these principles, Bosch has transformed its software production workflows, creating a foundation for agility and scalability.
Dr. Bohnet introduced the concept of the “software factory,” a data-driven approach to managing and optimizing software production. He underscored the importance of measuring efficiency in terms of scarce resources, particularly developer time.
“In hardware manufacturing, we measure energy, material usage, and production costs,” he noted. “In software, the critical resource is developer time. The question is: how efficiently are we converting that time into value?”
Seerene’s analytics platform provides a window into this efficiency, tracking:
By visualizing these metrics, organizations can identify bottlenecks, reduce waste, and make data-driven decisions to optimize workflows.
Dr. Slavik highlighted how Bosch has operationalized these insights using tools like Metron and Seerene’s efficiency platform. These tools provide real-time data on software production, enabling teams to identify and address issues before they become significant risks.
Practical Applications Include:
“This is about more than just fixing problems,” Dr. Slavik explained. “It’s about creating a system that is inherently efficient, adaptable, and built for scale.”
One of the challenges of software production is its intangibility. Unlike physical products, lines of code cannot be inspected or measured by traditional means. To address this, Seerene employs innovative visualization techniques, such as city map-style diagrams that represent codebases as tangible structures.
“These visualizations make the invisible visible,” Dr. Bohnet explained. “They help teams and managers understand the scope of their work, communicate effectively, and identify areas for improvement.”
For example, clusters of high-complexity code appear as dense neighborhoods on these maps, providing a clear starting point for technical debt reduction campaigns.
Continuous improvement in software production isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a cultural one. The presenters stressed the need for leadership-driven initiatives to foster a mindset of adaptability and growth.
“Teams are often under immense operational pressure,” Dr. Bohnet noted. “Improvement needs to be driven from the top, with clear goals and support for long-term change.”
Collaboration is equally vital. Bosch’s partnership with Seerene exemplifies how combining domain expertise with cutting-edge analytics can yield transformative results.
The results of these initiatives are already evident at Bosch. By applying data-driven methodologies and lean principles, the company has:
These improvements aren’t just about saving money—they’re about staying competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.
The presentation concluded with a forward-looking vision: a software factory that is not only efficient but also resilient and adaptable.
This isn’t just about solving today’s problems, it’s about creating a system that can evolve with the industry, adapting to new challenges and opportunities.
By leveraging data, fostering collaboration, and embedding lean principles into their workflows, organizations can build a foundation for sustained success.
As Dr. Bohnet succinctly put it: “The future belongs to those who continuously improve. The time to act is now.”
This article provides a journalistic summary of the ideas shared by Dr. Johannes Bohnet, Dr. Matthias Burger, and Dr. Zora Slavik during their presentation. While we’ve highlighted the key concepts and innovations they discussed, the full depth of their insights and examples can only be appreciated by watching the complete session. If you’re intrigued by these ideas and want to hear them explained directly by the speakers, we encourage you to watch the full video of their presentation. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us directly.