Which of the following is NOT one of the eight principles of product development flow?

• A. Take an economic view
• B. Actively manage queues
• C. Reduce Batch Sizes
• D. Eliminate variability

Answer: (D)

Variability is a natural part of product development, and the flow mindset is to design to handle it rather than pretend it doesn’t exist. The principle you want to follow is to assume variability and preserve options. That means recognizing that requirements, technology, and market conditions will change, and you keep multiple viable paths or options available so you can learn and adapt quickly. By embracing variability, you can build in fast feedback, use incremental learning, and make decisions with real evidence rather than trying to lock everything down from the start.

Eliminating variability isn’t consistent with this approach because you can’t remove inherent uncertainty from development. Instead, you reduce its negative impact by releasing in small batches, shortening queues, and focusing on the economic value of each decision. Those practices—taking an economic view, actively managing queues, and reducing batch sizes—support flow in the face of variability.