We Built It, They Didn't Come

© Duncan K G Campbell 2016 1

We Built It, They Didn’t ComeA post-mortem of a failed project, and an examination of how to prevent such disasters in future.


“If you build it, he will come.” - Field of Dreams

“If you book them, they will come.” - Wayne’s World

…but product development is not like the movies.


Project BackgroundDomain expert, not software

developerVision to automate the domain -

reducing time, resources and costs

Commercial enterprise software (B2B)


Ingredients for Agile Developmenta Product Ownerprioritised backlogdaily stand-up scrumsScrum board with Post-It notesburn-down chartregular sprintssprint reviews & retrospectivesa Scrum Masteran actual product


Project Disease Symptomsorganisation inexperienced in

software developmentpoor quality staffpoor attention to qualitypoor communication within the teammismatched expectationscancerous growth ratelimited customer inputunverified customer input


Project Timeline2008

◦The vision!2009

◦Search for offshore outsource partner

◦Recruited overseas, moved development to Singapore

◦Prototype developed & used for demos to investors



◦Public launch◦Release to internal users◦Sale to Customer A

Bought as-is◦Sale to Customer B

Long list of customer-dictated features & deadlines agreed by Sales and PM

◦PM leaves



◦Customer B Entire development focus Inevitable failure to meet expectations

◦Customer A Not using the product

◦Internal users Minimal support



◦Customer A Did not extend contract

◦Customer B Only used by one evaluator Strained negotiations to salvage contract

◦Customer C Bought as-is

◦Internal users Minimal support



◦Customer C Strained contract negotiations, ended

support◦Customer B

Final payment, no support◦Prospect D

Entire development focus on tender◦Internal users

Minimal support



◦Internal users Sole remaining customer

◦New PO & product vision?2015

◦Last ditch sales effort◦Internal users

2016◦Commercial death


What Killed the Project?A couple of paying customers

were found◦Only interested in a sub-set of the

features from the vision◦Interested in having more features

related to that sub-set◦Relationships soured because of

mismatched expectations for delivery


What Killed the Project?Collectively produced poor

quality productSlow to make changesDeveloped demonstration features

which continued to be maintainedWaste became a drag on

development


What is Software Development For?Agile Manifesto principles:

◦“Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.” http://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html


What is Software Development For?Modern Agile principles:

◦“Make people awesome” http://modernagile.org/


What is Valuable Software?Working softwareWanted software

◦Product-market fit?◦Problem-solution fit?◦Is the problem worth solving?


What Killed the Project?The project failed to provide

valuable software…it failed to provide a product

which fit the market…it failed to provide a sufficient

solution to a problemIt failed to react to this

informationIt failed to learn early and often


What to do Differently?Quickly identify if a solution to a

customer problem is sufficiently valuable

Repeat


Lean Startup


Project = Startup"a human institution designed to

create a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty“ - Eric Ries


Lean StartupActionable feedbackNo vanity metrics


Modern Agile Principles“Experiment and Learn Rapidly”

http://modernagile.org/


Identify the target customerAskObserveMeasureTestRepeat


ConclusionsThe project died because it failed to

deliver valuable softwarePoor quality delivery left the project

unwellNot actively identifying product-

market fit left the project fatally wounded

If your project is not delivering value, change course, jump ship or enjoy the ride