Project management from a Developer's Perspective

1Tuesday, September 4, 12



I am not a project manager

I am not a project manager.


I am not a project manager


I am a developer.

i am a developer.


I am a developer.


I have a feeling this nickname might have been shortened a bit at work.

In the flash Community I am known as the: BITCHwhocodes





people often like to shorten it.




I’m okay with that.

I’ve made peace with that.


I’m okay with that.


People at work, think I’m organized.

People at work think I am organized.


People at work, think I’m organized.


I’m not. I just need to enforce organization to follow suit.

i’m Not.


I’m not. I just need to enforce organization to follow suit.


I make others be organized so that it forces me to act in the same way.



as a flash developer, lots of things frustrate me during a project.



I’m going to talk about project management - from the developer’s perspective.

Project Management from the Developer’s Perspective.


I’m going to talk about project management - from the developer’s perspective.


when I see a project manager walking with purpose towards me i immediately think:



bohica.



Flash developers are currently in high demand. Particularily ones that aren’t completely burnt out.

Burnt out Developers Are useless.


Flash developers are currently in high demand. Particularily ones that aren’t completely burnt out.


because of the demand for developers, employee retention is a challenge.



Right now, as you sit and listen to me

SIT up and Pay Attention ... Because


Right now, as you sit and listen to me


Your star employee

Your Star Employee


Your star employee


is being recruited.

Is being recruited right now


is being recruited.


Fuel is Hiring.

fuel is hiring.


Fuel is Hiring.


with working at interactive agencies.

many interactive agencies have similar issues with project process.


with working at interactive agencies.


when working with brands, timing is everything.



where if deadlines gets pushed

when, not if, a deadline gets pushed


where if deadlines gets pushed


its always up.

Its always up.


its always up.


On any given project you might have an account manager

Your team might have an account manager


On any given project you might have an account manager


a project manager

A project Manager


a project manager


a designer

a designer


a designer


a sound engineer

a sound engineer


a sound engineer


a video editor / motion graphics designer

a motion graphics designer


a video editor / motion graphics designer


a writer

a writer


a writer


the veto vote

the Veto Vote


the veto vote


and a developer.

and a developer.


and a developer.


As a project manager you may think your developer sees you like this:

Pm’s may think us Devs see them like this


As a project manager you may think your developer sees you like this:


But really they see you like this

But really we see you like this


But really they see you like this


Or if you are lucky, like this.

Or worse, like this.


Or if you are lucky, like this.


As a developer, you might think your project manager sees you like this, as a bit of superhero

Devs think everyone sees them like this


As a developer, you might think your project manager sees you like this, as a bit of superhero


but they probably see you like this.

But this is probably more accurate


but they probably see you like this.


Or worse, this.

Or worse, this.


Or worse, this.


Bad project process places the glass ceiling for developer contribution

Bad Project Process Places the glass ceiling for developer contribution


Bad project process places the glass ceiling for developer contribution


at implementation.

At Implementation.


at implementation.


Good project process raises the glass ceiling for developer contribution to be one of innovation.

Good Project Process means developers can contribute as Innovators.


Good project process raises the glass ceiling for developer contribution to be one of innovation.


Meaningful innovation cannot easily occur in an environment that does not inherently support and foster it.

Meaningful innovation require environments that foster it.


Meaningful innovation cannot easily occur in an environment that does not inherently support and foster it.


Meaningful innovation is what can set you far apart from your competition.

Meaningful innovation is a competitive edge.


Meaningful innovation is what can set you far apart from your competition.


lets look at basic project phases.



segueway



ESTIMATING is hard.



Numbers Don’t lie.



unless they ve been pulled from someones asseen pulled from someone’s ass.

Unless you pulled them from this.


unless they ve been pulled from someones asseen pulled from someone’s ass.


Too often estimating focused around the elusive magic number. The magic number is when a project manager asks you for a time estimate but already has some magic number in his head.

The elusive magic number


Too often estimating focused around the elusive magic number. The magic number is when a project manager asks you for a time estimate but already has some magic number in his head.


Project Managers act like estimating is a negotiation process

Project managers act like estimating is a negotiation process


Project Managers act like estimating is a negotiation process


Developers need to learn to ask the right questions and quote consistently.



Developers need to learn to walk off the lot.

Pm’s need to be upfront about restrictions


Developers need to learn to walk off the lot.


Good estimates are usually a result of good details

Good estimates are usually a result of good details.


Good estimates are usually a result of good details


bad estimates are a result of a lack of details.

Get the right people to quote.


bad estimates are a result of a lack of details.


The larger the scope of the estimate, the more likely it is to be off.

The larger the scope of work to estimate, the more likely it is to be off.


The larger the scope of the estimate, the more likely it is to be off.


Developers generally suck at estimating. They estimate in ideal hours. They think about the task , not the three phases of a task.

Developers suck at estimating time.


Developers generally suck at estimating. They estimate in ideal hours. They think about the task , not the three phases of a task.


Developers estimate in ideal hours.



Account for the three parts of a development process: Planning, implementation, testing.



Developers typically only quote with implementation in mind.



Multiply whatever a developer tells you by three, that way when they are wrong, you won’t be going over budget.

Triple a quote to avoid going overbudget


Multiply whatever a developer tells you by three, that way when they are wrong, you won’t be going over budget.


segueway



Planning.



Planning is not optional. Altho it may feel like a luxury.

Planning is not optional.


Planning is not optional. Altho it may feel like a luxury.


Never have just one plan.





always have a plan b. have a developer help you define what that is.

Always Have a Plan B. Have a developer help you define what that is.


always have a plan b. have a developer help you define what that is.


prioritize deliverables. Must have, nice to have, bonus.



Lack of planning for a developer, means the scope of work just increased tenfold.

If you fail to plan, you just increased the scope of work for a developer tenfold.


Lack of planning for a developer, means the scope of work just increased tenfold.


Planning needs to involve all key stakeholders.





Results of the planning process needs to be documented in a variety of ways.



The most important document from project planning for a developer, are the functional specifications.

Functional Specifications are the developers bible.


The most important document from project planning for a developer, are the functional specifications.


Functional specifications might have many names. But its purpose is to tell the developer how something should work and the business rules.

It answers all the how it works questions


Functional specifications might have many names. But its purpose is to tell the developer how something should work and the business rules.


and the business rules for that system

And defines the business rules


and the business rules for that system


Developers deal in terms of when, not if.Good developers can be pessimistic. They will tear your plan apart and figure out the items that were not addressed or considered.



Good planning affords the opportunity for a developer to determine what is missing upfront, rather than 2 hours before something is due.



Prototyping, whatever form, allows for a quick way to explore user interaction and can help pinpoint issues early on.

Prototyping is a quick way to get the feel of the proposed user interaction.


Prototyping, whatever form, allows for a quick way to explore user interaction and can help pinpoint issues early on.


and I don’t mean this.

And by interaction, I don’t mean this.


and I don’t mean this.


Prototyping can help you sort out what works

Prototyping can help you determine what works


Prototyping can help you sort out what works


and more importantly what doesn’t.

and more importantly what doesn’t


and more importantly what doesn’t.


Make sure your prototype is reflective of the current state of the project. don’t show your client a prototype with a finished design.



a flash developers time is best spent developing.



so make sure the right people are doing the right job.



segueway



Process.



Process doesn’t need to feel restrictive



most interactive agencies have a casual or loose vibe and work hard to protect that culture. Process sounds too corporate and stodgy.



When you are a small team you can be much more agile and flexible. When you start growing, constant chaos no longer is an effective motivator



Flexibility does not have to be sacrificed. It can be encouraged through consistency and structure.



The reality of a schedule.



Schedules Have more important purposes than perfection or accuracy.



They are often made to appease the client but can help make people accountable, invested and focused.

Schedules make clients happy. On some level, they make people be accountable, invested and focused.


They are often made to appease the client but can help make people accountable, invested and focused.


when making or modifying a schedule, work backwards from the deadline.



adopt a project taxonomy.



This can start with file naming conventions and structure. It might be a developers job to create the standard, and it might be a project managers job to enforce it.

Start with File naming conventions





It might be a developers job to determine a file naming convention/standard. It might be a pm’s job to enforce it.




give direction.

Give Direction. Not MisDirection.


give direction.


Don’t send us this....

don’t forward me a ten page email


Don’t send us this....


so that we can spend time looking for this.

so that I can begin a treasure hunt for the one line that tells me what I need to do.


so that we can spend time looking for this.


don’t make me do your job, so that I can begin to do mine.



Project Status should be transparent.



Use basecamp, emails, daily status meetings. No one should ever be able to claim they have no idea what the status of the project is.

Use basecamp. Email. Daily status meetings. Never give someone the opportunity to say “ they have no idea what is going on”.


Use basecamp, emails, daily status meetings. No one should ever be able to claim they have no idea what the status of the project is.


internal reviews - don’t wait too long to have them and never allow a veto to occur.



segueway



DeaDLines.



are like objects in mirror - are closer than they appear.

Deadlines are closer than they appear


are like objects in mirror - are closer than they appear.


Deadlines change for a variety of reasons.

Deadlines change for a variety of reasons. Indecisive client. Missed sign-offs. Scope creep.


Deadlines change for a variety of reasons.


Usually because of stupidity.

Usually it can be reduced to stupidity.


Usually because of stupidity.


Hopefully its the clients.





sorry.

Sorry?


sorry.


For developers, deadlines get crunched when designers miss theirs, regardless of how that happens.

Developers deadlines get shafted when anyone else blows theirs.


For developers, deadlines get crunched when designers miss theirs, regardless of how that happens.


Anyone is usually a Designer.To clarify:



Designers consume timelines like a fat kid at a buffet.

Designers consume timelines like a fat kid at a buffet


Designers consume timelines like a fat kid at a buffet.


Project managers often act like the questionable parents

Project Managers sometimes act like the irresponsible parent


Project managers often act like the questionable parents


Who show the kid the dessert table rather than cut them off.

who show the kid the dessert table rather than cutting them off.


Who show the kid the dessert table rather than cut them off.


Iterative graphic design can lead to duct tape development.



Duct tape will fix anything.

Duct tape will fix anything, even a blown timeline.


Duct tape will fix anything.


Developers starting patching and hacking things together in a rush making their code a big mountain of

Developers do rush patch jobs


Developers starting patching and hacking things together in a rush making their code a big mountain of


Spaghetti. It becomes hard to maintain, hard to extend, hard to decipher. In the long run, it becomes incredibly inefficient for you are asking a developer to add or change a system that didn’t account for these changes.

And end up writing spaghetti code.


Spaghetti. It becomes hard to maintain, hard to extend, hard to decipher. In the long run, it becomes incredibly inefficient for you are asking a developer to add or change a system that didn’t account for these changes.


Thus begins the process of polishing the turd.

Hence the term “polishing the turd”.


Thus begins the process of polishing the turd.


Does the math. Compressed deadline. Just as much work. Lets add more developers!

project manager math:8 Weeks for 1 developer. 2 weeks for 4 Developers.


Does the math. Compressed deadline. Just as much work. Lets add more developers!


This is like the old joke that 9 pregnant women can give birth to a baby in a month.

Can 9 women give birth to a baby in a month?


This is like the old joke that 9 pregnant women can give birth to a baby in a month.


Adding developers mid project is a risk and should be assessed as such. Time could be lost in knowledge transfer. Developers could get frustrated with focus change.

Adding or switching Developers mid-Project with a tight deadline is a risk and should be managed as such.


Adding developers mid project is a risk and should be assessed as such. Time could be lost in knowledge transfer. Developers could get frustrated with focus change.


Compressed or unrealistic deadlines means that a project manager should be willing to have a contingency plan. This could have all been possibly avoided if...

Compressed deadlines require a contingency plan. Unrealistic deadlines can sometimes be avoided...


Compressed or unrealistic deadlines means that a project manager should be willing to have a contingency plan. This could have all been possibly avoided if...


Someone had said no.

if someone had said


Someone had said no.


wait for it



if someone had said no.



Saying no, is a simple way to earn a developers trust, or at least admiration.

Saying no can earn trust.


Saying no, is a simple way to earn a developers trust, or at least admiration.


Developers don’t trust project managers.





Project managers must have graduated

Project managers all graduate from


Project managers must have graduated


from the Subway school of sandwich artistry at some point. They are the masters of the compliment sandwich - which is a generous serving of bad news sandwiched by two rather forced compliments to ease digestion.

Subway school of sandwich making. They are masters in the crafting the perfect compliment sandwich.


from the Subway school of sandwich artistry at some point. They are the masters of the compliment sandwich - which is a generous serving of bad news sandwiched by two rather forced compliments to ease digestion.


Being able to say no, means that yes isn’t the only option. For both a developer and a project manager.

SAYING NOMeans that yes isn’t the only option.


Being able to say no, means that yes isn’t the only option. For both a developer and a project manager.


Project managers need to ask what the impact and implications of a change have. Developers need the opportunity to state those risks

project managers need to understand the implications of a change.

Developers need the opportunity to state those risks.


Project managers need to ask what the impact and implications of a change have. Developers need the opportunity to state those risks


Sometimes you might hear it be called risk assessment.

Project managers call this risk assessment


Sometimes you might hear it be called risk assessment.


segueway



qa.



quality assurance is everyone’s job.



QA is often the first thing to be thrown out the window.

On a tight deadline, the reality is that an official qa process is typically the first thing to be sacrificed.


QA is often the first thing to be thrown out the window.


A developer is the best person to test to ensure it works the way it should.

The developer is the best person to test to ensure something works the way it should.


A developer is the best person to test to ensure it works the way it should.


They are not the best candidates to test outside of that.

developers might not be the best candidates to test against how it shouldn’t work.


They are not the best candidates to test outside of that.


Use a bug tracking system.



Bugs that are vague take much longer to resolve.

bugs that are vague take longer to resolve


Bugs that are vague take much longer to resolve.


Kinda like this one where I’m referred to check an email for changes.



Bugs with steps to reproduce and details beyond it doesn’t work, do not.

being able to reproduce a bug is half the battle.


Bugs with steps to reproduce and details beyond it doesn’t work, do not.


Test early and test often.





Developers love to say it works for me.



don’t let them.



segueway



post-project mortem



Post project Reviews are typically a waste because they happen too late.



There is a best before or expiry date for project reviews.

post project reviews have a best before date.


There is a best before or expiry date for project reviews.


Wait too long and they get reduced to love ins.

wait too long and they become love-ins


Wait too long and they get reduced to love ins.


where these are optional.

where rose coloured glasses are optional.


where these are optional.


Post project reviews need to address what worked as much as what not worked.



Post project reviews need to happen throughout the project, not just after.

post project reviews need to happen throughout the project, not just after its done.


Post project reviews need to happen throughout the project, not just after.


segueway



Summary



as a project manager you can do the following to make the process a bit better for your developer:



get as many details as possible before asking for an Estimate and buffer the time accordingly.



involve stakeholders in major decisions.



make sure the questions about how something is going to work are not just answered, but documented.



try to limit the developers plate to development centric tasks. get the right people to do the job.



be concise. Don’t make a developer figure out what they need to do, because you haven’t.



grow some balls.



As a developer, things you can do to make the project process better:



be prepared to deal with unforseen circumstances



help identify risks. You’re not being pessimistic, you’re covering your ass.



help create functional specifications.



flex your creative problem skills.



don’t be a hero.



www.bitchwhocodes.com/fitc2008


http://www.bitchwhocodes.com/fitc2008

http://www.bitchwhocodes.com/fitc2008

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Project management from a Developer's Perspective