| Disclaimer: All the thoughts expressed are my | | | | have come to a decent shape. It is just an |
| views only! Your perception might differ...1. | | | | balancing act! but your mileage may vary...5. |
| How different is product development?2. What | | | | All of a sudden I go blank, what should I |
| are the fundamentals of building a product?3. | | | | do?Well, this I would term as the Product |
| How do I know that I'm at the wrong end of | | | | developers "block". It happens, remember |
| building the product?4. Will you start | | | | afterall we are human. Just take a couple of |
| building two products, if given a second | | | | days off! and get started with a fresh mind! |
| chance?5. All of a sudden I go blank, what | | | | believe me it is normal! Just go ahead and |
| should I do?6. But my project is running on a | | | | talk with guys out there who has already |
| delayed schedule, what do I do?7. Pitfalls in | | | | built great products!6. But my project is |
| putting out milestones?8. Testing? what?9. Do | | | | running on a delayed schedule, what do I |
| I make the team work 7 days a week?10. why | | | | do?Whatever I say out here will not address |
| this faq?1. How different is product | | | | your problem. All I have to say is this, you |
| development?For starters, they are completely | | | | underestimated the project time frame. |
| orthogonal! I can hear you mumble "C'mon | | | | Believe me all software developers are |
| building a product cannot be different from | | | | optimistic, no matter what, that is their |
| building a framework." I learnt it the hard | | | | nature ;-) This is Ok! as long as you |
| way! Yes, though they seem to be very much | | | | acknowledge the delay and make an effort to |
| related, the subtle differences place them | | | | make much better schedules.7. Pitfalls in |
| far apart!In developing a framework, you get | | | | putting out milestones?Well it depends upon |
| started with whatever you have in mind. i.e | | | | the product, if the product is very straight |
| you conceptualize your version of the | | | | forward i.e without very high performance |
| framework. This will get you started, but | | | | scalability requirements, go ahead with your |
| after sometime, when you rope in a couple of | | | | monthly milestone(s). But be careful while |
| customers, it is not you(framework team) that | | | | tagging the milestones. Because I faced the |
| decide what goes in or what is useful! IT is | | | | problem of running out of milestone numbers |
| mainly driven by the internal customers. They | | | | :-( and started calling it beta even before |
| start defining the rules. This check ensures | | | | it was beta ready!8.Testing? what?It depends |
| that whatever the framework team builds, is | | | | on how much quality you want in your product! |
| used effectively! Well, it acts as a guide | | | | Normally it will take 1/3rd the time of the |
| post.The scenario takes a "U" turn with | | | | time taken to build the product! No matter |
| respect to product development. why? it is | | | | how much pressure you have for monthly |
| due to the fact that it is pretty difficult | | | | release, never compromise on quality! We talk |
| to rope in early customers. Unless they have | | | | about quality etc at the early stages,but |
| an impinging need for the solution, they will | | | | sacrifice it in the name of time constraint! |
| not opt to be part of the early bird customer | | | | Never do that. What if the milestone gets |
| programs. So what can happen is the possibliy | | | | postponed? it is ok!9. Do I make the team |
| to get insane, "what might happen if this | | | | work 7 days a week?Nope! whatever happens |
| happens?" and you start fixing problems or | | | | don't over do it! (I did it, I got obssessed |
| developing features which might not be | | | | with the product). Stretch your team only if |
| useful! This I would term as the "product | | | | needed! Well! it might be against the |
| developers" mind block. To overcome this we | | | | standard management philosophy were the more |
| cross-verify ourselves with the | | | | time you spend the more you gain! I totally |
| competitors(EEE strategy), but down the line, | | | | disagree with this! Think about this, when is |
| it might not be effective. Because we tend to | | | | that you get the best ideas and solutions to |
| supersede the competitor. So always be | | | | your problems? I am confident that you don't |
| watchful about what you put into the | | | | get them at work! It happens only when you |
| product.2. What are the fundamentals of | | | | are away from work. Moreover, the nature of |
| building a product?The most important aspect | | | | software job does not need the couontless |
| of the product is the conceptual integrity! | | | | hours. All it needs is a clear mind and very |
| Yes! that is the secret ingredient for making | | | | little time. But the industry is all screwed |
| your product a success! Visualize how the | | | | up! I took a shot at it but in vain... but I |
| end-user/customer will see the product. That | | | | am sure I would break it someday in the near |
| will set things straight! Start looking at | | | | future! Here is an interesting tid-bit: I |
| the product with NOT what you know, but with | | | | came across a international study about the |
| what the customer knows. The default | | | | productivity of work(i'm sorry I missed the |
| behaviour of any developer is to fall into | | | | link), It states that on an average only 2 |
| the habit of taking things for granted. i.e | | | | hours/day results in productive work! That |
| the normal pitfall is that once you get into | | | | means we spend nearly 6 hours a day (assuming |
| the trees you tend to forget the forest( the | | | | 8 hrs as the working time) in communicating |
| overall picture!) Always concentrate on the | | | | etc... Well, I could hear you shout at me, |
| forest and not on the trees! During the | | | | that is not possible, well try for yourseslf! |
| intial stages of the product, I missed it and | | | | Before that ensure that what productive work |
| I payed the price(extra time)!3. How do I | | | | is! Anything that you to attain the goal of |
| know that I'm at the wrong end of building | | | | the company is termed productive. Another |
| the product?Well it is a tough question, let | | | | word of caution is that this time frame is |
| me give it a try... The moment you sit down | | | | only an average over a week, i.e you tend to |
| to work, what is that flashes in your mind, | | | | be more productive on some days only!10. Why |
| "how to fix the issues?" "where to find the | | | | this faq?There are two ways to learn anything |
| solutions?" "how could I nail this bug?" If | | | | in this world, one the hard the way and |
| you answer "Yes" to any of the questions, | | | | second learning from somebody else's |
| then you are seeing the trees! It is high | | | | experince. I learnt the hard way, I want you |
| time you start visualizing the global picture | | | | to learn the easier way! If this enlightened |
| of the product.4. Will you start building two | | | | you, here is what I want you to do... share |
| products, if given a second chance?No, it is | | | | two of your learnings that would do!Hey I |
| not OK! NEVER start two products at the same | | | | have more questions what do I do? well you |
| time, even when they are related. Normally | | | | have couple of options i) read some books esp |
| what happens is that you tend to lose focus | | | | Mythical Man Month (a must read for product |
| of one product or the other. Just postpone | | | | leaders) ii) discuss with people who have |
| the start of the second product by 5-6 | | | | already crossed it or iii) learn it the hard |
| months. During which the first product would | | | | way! |