Intuitive Project Management - Molly Byrnes at DrupalCon Dublin

DrupalCon Dublin September, 28th

Molly Byrnes

Intuitive Project

Management

molly

@mabfire

+ Account Director, Phase2+ Content Managed first

international Drupal 6 media platform, Sony Music

+ Worked on one of the first large Drupal 8 builds, Memorial Sloan Kettering

+ Crystal Collector

AH, SO YOU MUST BE a ...

developer? designer?

dark matter

unseen, everywhere & keeps the universe moving

Static to dynamic

The shift to dynamic systems have brought about entirely new problem spaces, roles & way of talking about and understanding the digital universes we all inhabit.

intuitionɪntjʊˈɪʃ(ə)n/noun1. the ability to understand something instinctively, without

the need for conscious reasoning.

“Never Ignore a gut feeling, but never believe that it is enough.”

-RObert Heller

Project fundamentals

+ An actual plan+ Detailed requirements+ Clear goals+ Project methodology and process+ Metrics and reporting + Risk Management

Where to apply intuition

+ Define objectives + Clarify assumptions+ Identify risks

Objectives

Transumute confusion into clarity

Every project or initiative starts someone trying to explain something that doesn’t yet exist.

MVP Airport

Let’s Land this plane!

Everything we do should be directly traceable to a goal that creates business value

Iron triangle

SCOPE TIMELINE

COST

QUALITY

Project PYramid

+ Lots of nuances+ Interpersonal dynamics+ External factors

Site & Platform

We want a site and we want a platform....

Assumptions

COmmon Drupal Assumptions

+ Web hosting is included in price with 24/7 support+ Content entry is included in project / can do in one day+ All parts of sites can be managed within CMS+ Every word of site is automatically translatable+ When a page is saved, I immediately see the content

live

Internet

This is how ‘the internet’ works …

“Why does the custom font not look exactly the same on my favorite browser - IE7?”

Internet Level

+ Font displays+ Front end CSS rendering on older browsers+ Latency - loading of images in far away places+ DNS propagation + Media encoding standards

System

THat’s not exactly how this framework is designed.

“I should press save & my content should appear instantly for all users on the internet immediately, like facebook, right?!

System Level

+ Drupal pagers+ Modules + Assumptions or choices made in Drupal Core+ Making it work with distributions+ File System + Security patches

BUsiness

AUTOMATE THE TPS REPORTS!

“I “We want divisions in our department to be able to update the site but we need to make sure someone can approve all content”

Business Level

+ Offline workflows+ Permissions and team structures + Approval processes+ Branding and color + Taxonomy content

PeopleP

oh, the Humanity!

“My item is really important and it needs to be on the homepage and I’m not afraid to send really angry emails about it every day”

People Level

+ Governance+ Personality clashes+ Communication style + Personal and life events+ Power struggles

All the people

+ Project team+ Client + Site user+ Drupal community

P

http://wallpart.com/poster/12burning-man-2015-love-alexandr-milov-2086-apf-david-julian-17851075009

Being Human

+ Love+ Loss+ Acceptance+ Validation+ Fear of failure, the unknown, success+ Desire to belong, be happy, be seen+

People intelligence

+ Myers Briggs - 16personalities.com+ Human Design - jovianarchive.com+ DOPE - richardstep.com/dope-personality-type-quiz+ ... ask questions and learn about personal goals,

motivations and interests

communication

P

Energetic listening

+ Repeat what the person is saying in your head while nodding so that you fully absorb it

+ Eye contact and focused direction + Listen for the spaces between and what is not

mentioned

Energetic listening

+ Shift body language in dynamic of group+ Anticipate who should naturally speak next and

generate flow

Advanced practices

1. Does it need to be said right now?2. Do I need to be the one to say it?3. If someone else needs to say it, what question can I

ask to facilitate the unfolding of the right information at this time?

Metaverse Meeting tips

Risks

UNKNOWNS

There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know. ~ Donald Rumsfeld

RISK Management

Mission Protocols

+ Regular risk meetings+ Log & review transparent mitigation plans+ Launch protocols & rollback

+ Lay out the plan and unfold from multiple angles

+ Prepare for key moment of message delivery

+ The “missing piece” slots in for AHA moment

Long Game Risks

Get in Tune

Introvert vibes

Thank you!Evaluate - events.drupal.org/dublin2016/schedule

JOIN US FORCONTRIBUTION SPRINTS

First Time Sprinter Workshop - 9:00-12:00 - Room Wicklow 2AMentored Core Sprint - 9:00-18:00 - Wicklow Hall 2BGeneral Sprints - 9:00 - 18:00 - Wicklow Hall 2A