Getting your project off the ground

Johannes Brodwall

Getting yourproject off the

ground

Bootstrapping a team

Raising the team engagement

Turning a corner

Growing the team

Etter 15 års erfaring fra IT bransjen i Norge, innså Johannes Brodwall:

“Det er immari kaldt her!”Nå jobber han for IT bransjen i Sri Lanka.

Men er fortsatt mest i kalde Norge.

“How do you start a project and achieve

understanding at the beginning?”

“How do you {start a project} and achieve understanding at the

beginning?”

Keep it simple

Defer commitment

Inspect and adapt

It depends

Concrete tools fornon-superheroes

3 tools(and 1 bonus)

1. Discuss the problem2. Understand who’s involved3. Describe what it does4. Visualize the context5. Understand the domain6. Lay down the foundation7. Create the roadmap8. Dramatize the demo

When

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Elevator pitch,Stakeholders

Usage flow

Dev infrastructure

Dev baselineReview usage

Roadmap Wrap up docsDev baseline

Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch

Look at what’s going on today

Tech framework

Usage review,Context,Domain

Refine models

Review,RetrospectivePlan week 2

Typical plan for kickoff



Usage flow

Dev infrastructure





Tech framework


Refine models



Discuss the problem

Form groups of 3 (or 2)You will have five minutes

to discuss

For some user/stakeholderWho wants to achive some goal

The name of the systemIs a type of system

Which lets them perform some operation(s).

Unlike most compelling alternativeThis gives them some advantages.

Sample problem

The problem:“A program to assign a

worker to a client”

The problem:“A program to assign a

worker to a client”(yes, it’s unclear!)

For a temporary employment agent who wants to match candidates

to client needs,the Temporary Staffing System

is aninteractive web application,

which lets them register andmatch candidates and positions.

Unlike competing systemsthis lets us share selective information with our clients.

Who?



Usage flow

Dev infrastructure





Tech framework


Refine models



For a temporary employment agent who wants to match candidates

to client needs,the Temporary Staffing System

is aninteractive web application,

which lets them register andmatch candidates and positions.

Unlike competing systemsthis lets us share selective information with our clients.

Agent

Worker

Client

Who?# Clients do ??? every ??? via ???# Agents do ??? every ??? via ???

# Workers do ??? every ??? via ???

Who?# Clients do ??? every ??? via ???

# Project managers do ??? every ??? via ???# Agents do ??? every ??? via ???

# Applicatants do ??? every ??? via ??? # Workers do ??? every ??? via ???

Who?Tens of Clients sign up for service a few times every year via

meetingsAbout 100 client project managers request workers to match specific

skills every few monthsAround 20 Agents proposes workers to open positions

Several hundred Applicants applies for position once every few months

Hundreds of Workers submit timesheets every (few) days via their mobiles

Who else?Payroll



Usage flow

Dev infrastructure





Tech framework


Refine models



Describe the usage

1. Need: Someone identifies a need2. Trigger: Someone does

something with the system3. The system responds in some

way4. …5. …6. The goal has been fulfilled

1. A new company wants to hire a skilled worker for a temporary position

2. Administrative user adds the client details and login to the system

3. Client logs into the application and completes new position description, including skill requirements

4. Temp agency adds a worker and proposes the worker to a position registered by a client

5. Client gets notified of new proposals (via email)6. Client views status of all open positions in the system7. External to the system: Client interviews candidate, request

further information and makes a decision whether to hire or not8. Client accepts or rejects the worker in the system9. As worker performs work, they register their time in the system10. At the end of a billing period, the system generates billing

information to accounting system and salary information to salary system



Usage flow

Dev infrastructure





Tech framework


Refine models





Usage flow

Dev infrastructure





Tech framework


Refine models



Laying down foundation

Constraints:• Interact per user

• Portability• Supported platform

Example:• Agent: ____

• Project manager: ____• Applicant: ____

• Worker: ____

• Supported platform: ____ stack

Example:• Agent: Web or desktop

• Client manager: Web or any mobile• Applicant: Web• Worker: Mobile

• Supported platform: Java stack

Example:• Agent: Swing

• Client manager: Spring MVC• Applicant: Spring MVC

• Worker: Android


Example:• Agent: Responsive JavaScript/Spring MVC

• Client manager: Responsive JavaScript/Spring MVC

• Applicant: Responsive JavaScript/Spring MVC• Worker: Responsive JavaScript/Spring MVC


Frameworks:• What can the team support

• Max one: Project risk or tech risk

Example risky project:• New team

• New supplier• New domain

• New codebase

Example risky tech:• New database system

• New framework• New programming language



Usage flow

Dev infrastructure





Tech framework


Refine models



Solo programming

Solo programming• Integration issues

• Inconsistent coding• Merge conflicts

Mob programming

Pair programming

Resource utilizationvs

Knowledge sharing



Usage flow

Dev infrastructure





Tech framework


Refine models










1. Experimental create open position2. Experimental list positions3. Simplified create open position4. Simplified list positions5. Complete create open positions6. Complete list positions7. …

1. Experimental create open position2. Experimental list positions3. Simplified create open position4. Simplified list positions5. Complete create open positions6. Complete list positions

7. Basic create client account8. Complete create client account9. Basic login admin user10. Basic login client user11. Complete login client user12. Basic add worker13. Complete add worker14. Basic propose worker for position15. Complete propose worker for position16. Complete confirm worker for position17. Basic enter timesheet (in this version temp agency enters on behalf of

worker)18. Experimental billing report19. Basic billing report20. Basic salary report

20. …21. Attend training on CSS22. Basic layout and styling of web pages23. Complete layout and styling of web pages24. Polished layout and styling of web pages25. Locate slowest pages and make some performance

improvements26. Deploy solution to target platform27. Deploy demo version to wider set of stakeholders28. Deploy pilot version29. Exploratory test of complete flow

Week 1: Experimental create open positionWeek 1: Experimental list positionsWeek 1: Attend training on CSSWeek 2: Simplified create open positionWeek 2: Basic layout and styling of web pagesWeek 3: Deploy solution to target platform…Week 4: Complete layout and styling of web pagesWeek 4: Complete create open positionsWeek 4: Complete list positionsWeek 4: Deploy demo version to wider set of stakeholders…Week 6: Exploratory test of complete flow



Usage flow

Dev infrastructure





Tech framework


Refine models



Plan the show

Demo script

1. Preconditions2. Start up the system3. What do you see?4. Activate a function5. What do you see?6. Activate variations of function7. Thus we demonstrate that we have

delivered x

















Usage flow

Dev infrastructure





Tech framework


Refine models



3 tools

1. Discuss the problem2. Describe the system3. Plan the show

1. Elevator pitch2. Context diagram3. Demo script



Usage flow

Dev infrastructure





Tech framework


Refine models



Achievements

Actions

Puzzlers

Conclusion:

When you return:Create an elevator pitch with

your customer

Thank youJohannes [email protected]

www.exilesoft.com

www.johannesbrodwall.com@jhannes

mailto:[email protected]

http://sterkblanding.no/

http://johannesbrodwall.com/

http://twitter.com/jhannes

http://twitter.com/jhannes

Documents

Getting your project off the ground