Who's Using Your Software

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Software is only successful if someone can use it. Good developers need to do more than just follow specifications, they need to visualize the people who will use it and understand what they need. Get to know your users and the questions you need to ask to make your implementation a success on all fronts.

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Who’s Who’s Using Using Your Your

Software?Software?Gerard SychayGerard Sychay

#tek11#tek11

05/26/201105/26/2011

Gerard SychayGerard Sychay

Who Am I?Who Am I?

10 years of PHP10 years of PHPZipsceneMobile.comZipsceneMobile.com

Who Am I?Who Am I?

1995 - 20001995 - 2000

Who Am I?Who Am I?

2000 - 20052000 - 2005

Who Am I?Who Am I?

2005 - 20102005 - 2010

Who Am I?Who Am I?

2010 - ???2010 - ???

Who Am I?Who Am I?

2010 - ???2010 - ???

© http://codecompiling.net

Who Am I?Who Am I?

The Business of SoftwareThe Business of Software

http://youtu.be/e2PyeXRwhCEhttp://youtu.be/e2PyeXRwhCE

©© Python (Monty) Pictures Ltd. Python (Monty) Pictures Ltd.

The Business of SoftwareThe Business of Software

Medical knowledge base search Medical knowledge base search engineengine

The Business of SoftwareThe Business of Software

Weekly survey toolWeekly survey tool

The Business of SoftwareThe Business of Software

VerificationVerification→ → Is the software correct?Is the software correct?

ValidationValidation→ → Is this the correct software?Is this the correct software?

Software must fulfill a need!Software must fulfill a need!

The Business of SoftwareThe Business of Software

QualityQuality→ → Is the software correct?Is the software correct?

SuitabilitySuitability→ → Is this the correct software?Is this the correct software?

Software must fulfill a need!Software must fulfill a need!(Oh and you STILL need quality)(Oh and you STILL need quality)

What do we do?What do we do?

Questions to ask yourself:Questions to ask yourself:1.1. Why are they doing this?Why are they doing this?

2.2. Am I making it easier or faster for Am I making it easier or faster for them?them?

What do we do?What do we do?

Questions to ask yourself:Questions to ask yourself:1.1. Why are they doing this?Why are they doing this?

2.2. Am I making it easier or faster for Am I making it easier or faster for them?them?

Habits to form:Habits to form:1.1. Meet the userMeet the user

2.2. Watch them workWatch them work

3.3. Frequent communicationFrequent communication

What do we do?What do we do?

Who is this so-called Who is this so-called useruser ??

Folks Who Use SoftwareFolks Who Use Software

Your IT Department → InternalYour IT Department → Internal

© Channel 4 TV Corp.

Folks Who Use SoftwareFolks Who Use Software

Your IT Department → InternalYour IT Department → Internal

• Captive audienceCaptive audience• Examples: corporations, Examples: corporations,

hospitalshospitals

Folks Who Use SoftwareFolks Who Use Software

Business → BusinessBusiness → Business

© 20th Century Fox

Folks Who Use SoftwareFolks Who Use Software

Business → BusinessBusiness → Business

• Sales & marketing teamsSales & marketing teams• Support teamsSupport teams• Examples: ExactTarget, Examples: ExactTarget,

SalesforceSalesforce

Folks Who Use SoftwareFolks Who Use Software

Business → ConsumerBusiness → Consumer

© Columbia Pictures

Folks Who Use SoftwareFolks Who Use Software

Business → ConsumerBusiness → Consumer

• FickleFickle• Examples: Facebook, Examples: Facebook,

Evernote, Evernote, PandoraPandora

Digression: Usable, but how Digression: Usable, but how usable?usable?

Ex. URL ValidationEx. URL Validation

Digression: Usable, but how Digression: Usable, but how usable?usable?

CostCost(∞ when (∞ when buyerbuyer ≠ ≠ user user

))

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So nowSo now, what do we do?, what do we do?

Questions to ask yourself:Questions to ask yourself:1.1. Why are they doing this?Why are they doing this?

2.2. Am I making it easier or faster for Am I making it easier or faster for them?them?

So nowSo now, what do we do?, what do we do?

Questions to ask yourself:Questions to ask yourself:1.1. Why are they doing this?Why are they doing this?

2.2. Am I making it easier or faster for Am I making it easier or faster for them?them?

Habits to form:Habits to form:1.1. ““In God we trust, all others bring data.”In God we trust, all others bring data.”

- W. Edwards - W. Edwards DemingDeming

So nowSo now, what do we do?, what do we do?

What makes software What makes software successful?successful?

What makes software What makes software successful?successful?

ValueValue

© http://codecompiling.net

What makes software What makes software successful?successful?

Downloadable Training CalendarDownloadable Training Calendar

What makes software What makes software successful?successful?

you just saved me a TON of time. you just saved me a TON of time. thank you, thank you, thank you!thank you, thank you, thank you!

andyandy

Thanks!Thanks!

Inspired by: Inspired by:

““Software development with clients Software development with clients in mind”in mind”

http://www.justincarmony.comhttp://www.justincarmony.com

Thanks!Thanks!

@hellogerard@hellogerard

hellogerard@gmail.comhellogerard@gmail.com

http://straylightrun.nethttp://straylightrun.net

© 2011. Some rights reserved. © 2011. Some rights reserved.