Software Development Done Right

Let’s consider this scenario. Imagine you are sailing toward your destination – a treasure chest that contains the release of a perfect software product. However, every time you get closer, the chest is moved and you have further to sail. This is what it’s like for those trying to release the “perfect” product. Instead, I suggest you settle for some small wins along the way, get your product released, and gain booty as you continue to learn and adapt, each time getting closer to the release that has everything you are wishing for.

As we continue to look at this process as one of exploration and adventure. I believe this charter is aptly named. Inside this chapter are a number of reasons why a Project Charter is important and how it fits into the grand scheme of your software product.

I’ve found one of the best things that a customer of mine can do to help me help them build the best software product possible is to be crystal clear on WHY. It’s not enough to tell your customers what and how you do what you do, you need to start with the why. Starting there will inspire your customers to have a deeper understanding and give them a North Star.

Do your homework, demand the highest quality from the team you hire, and make sure you have clear answers before you start the engagement. Ask these questions and you’ll weed out 90% of the companies that aren’t a fit for you.

The old phrase “The Customer Is Always right” is one that many use in the Service Industry and one that I’ve used many times as I’ve worked in restaurants, delivering newspapers, as a janitor, and other odd jobs I’ve had during my life. While I think the intention of this quote is to help center that your main objective when helping someone is to do what they want, this doesn’t apply to building software products and certainly doesn’t apply to projects that a customer hasn’t done before. If you’re in charge of hiring experts or independent contractors – or if you work with them directly – learn how to hire for quality over quantity and use them to tell you when you are right or wrong.

I’ve heard people refer to building a software application, as the same as building a house. if you were to build a house, would you not follow a set of plans? Before you hammer one nail, you need to have a clear picture of what the final structure will look like (at least in an abstract sense with hand sketches and drawings). And in fact, if you are building it with your significant other, you both kinda need to agree that his/her picture matches yours. Not only that, you’ll need to make sure that you have the foundation poured before you bring in the framers to do the walls, and the roofers to put a roof on before you then have plumbers and electricians do their work before the drywall is installed! If you are building a new product, something that will be game-changing, time and costs are of the essence. Development needs to be intelligent and efficient – thus you need a clear and concise set of rules to follow. You can pick your own process – there are tons to choose from.

When the project is starting, you’ll find everyone is gung ho. It’s the start of a long journey -everyone is fired up, the skies look bright, the wind is light and enormous potential lies ahead. The map to the treasure is clear with success virtually ensured! If you have the right team, they will have done their homework by defining the various phases your product will go through by putting together a development roadmap, bringing the team together with clear alignments on the tasks and priorities and how the project will be run. It’s all perfect!

Until it’s not.