Nothing seems further apart than technology and fashion. And yet as the fashion industry becomes increasingly dependent on speed, agility, lean inventories, and constant innovation, we might need to steal a page from the tech sector’s playbook.

Natalia Loza, Head of Product at Software Sauna and a veteran of agile development teams, has spent her career building apps and tools that move fast and stay focused. She’s seen what works – and what slows a good idea down. And her experience offers lessons that fashion brands might want to adopt.

From collection planning to fit issues to platform upgrades, much of the apparel industry is stuck in legacy processes that feel intuitive, but are often inefficient and bloated.

“There’s always the temptation to keep adding more features,” said  Ms. Loza. “It’s one of the biggest pitfalls in software development – and I imagine it’s the same in fashion. You start with one clear purpose, and before you know it, it’s grown into something too complicated to launch or use.”