Experiences from building a global scale learning service
- 1. Experiences from building a web 2.0 platformAthanasiosPapagelisEpignosis LTDpapagel@efrontlearning.net
- 2. The time paradoxAssume a software system that needs 20 days to complete 80% of itHow much time will it take to complete 100%?Answer = InfiniteAs closer we get to 100% time becomes relative. We can never reach 100% as we need more and more time to cover the next step
- 3. Balance between time and resultsIt is important to get something working quicklyAim to 90% - this gives you a good balance between functionality-quality and time-to-marketGet used to reiterate later your logical and layout issuesDon’t loose long-run goals perspective over every-day hurdlesBalance is a key ingredient for everything
- 4. Care for the “wrapper”Build a decent web-site from the scratchUse your brand as the glue for everything you doUse a forum or blog to communicate with the usersBuild documents, video presentations … whatever you can to explain your systemLook and be professional on all aspects
- 5. Get used to people differencesNot all people are the same, work the same, produce the sameMake a good mixYou need the architect, you need the builder and you need the clerkMotivate them and keep them as a teamBUT: You need at least a few extraordinary members to lead the processAnd you need the correct attitude from all membersDon’t go with people that cannot communicate at all
- 6. Get external supportPromoting your system is harder that you expectFind the appropriate channelsMeasure your site traffic, it is the only trustworthy success mechanismFind people to help youBuilding a community takes time and it is extremely hardHelp them back
- 7. Keep it simpleIn an iterative environment debugging can become a headacheForget about unit-testing and other exotic debugging mechanismsWrite simple, well-structured code Use continuous scenario testing (labor or automatic) Have experienced system testersIf you have a user community include them to the testing process
- 8. Get used to changeChange is inevitableYou should get prepared to handle it efficientlyFilter external interferences from the development teamGive them ample time to do it correct / work with themMake sure that everything is simple so as to be able to adjustRe-balance your system frequently to be change-friendlyMinimize sourceOptimize code
- 9. Products vs ProjectsProjects have a deadline, you don’t have oneProjects get to 80%, you need to go to 95%Most project management tactics are useless under a continuous development environmentA small development team can make miraclesBut use ample resources for wrapper tasks (documentation, testing, marketing,…)
- 10. Pick the correct toolsThere will always be a variety of tools that can make the jobDo not get “attached” to certain toolsPick the ones that can help your time-to-market equation and not based on their superiorityBe careful to pick those that will provide an optimized solution for the end-user
- 11. Be honest…to the team…to the customers…to yourselfDon’t offer biased advices. Or whenever you do so make sure you are open about your biasDon’t promise what you cannot deliverDon’t aim to the impossible Aim to the extraordinary
- 12. Don’t give upBuilding a product is a long-process full of good and bad momentsEach day has something new to give. Let yourself grow through themBe persistent but not dogmaticDon’t forget that opportunity meets preparation