Building a Quality Software Shop

Experiences and lessons learned while growing a software development shop focused on growing the best team we can.

Great Lakes Software Excellence Conference 2013

Transcript

1. My Adventure Building a Quality Software Shop Stephen Anderson stephen@bendyworks.com @bendycode @bendyworks http://bendyworks.com 1
2. Why Quality? 2
3. Why Quality? • Quality isn’t the point 2
4. Why Quality? • Quality isn’t the point • I pursue tenfold improvements in effectiveness 2
5. Why Quality? • Quality isn’t the point • I pursue tenfold improvements in effectiveness • Pursuing speed vs. pursuing quality 2
6. Why a Company? 3
7. Why a Company? • I made my wife cry 3
8. Why a Company? • I made my wife cry • the solution was entrepreneurship 3
9. Why a Company? • I made my wife cry • the solution was entrepreneurship • I left my comfort zone 3
10. Why a Company? • I made my wife cry • the solution was entrepreneurship • I left my comfort zone • expanding that comfort zone 3
11. Why a Company? • I made my wife cry • the solution was entrepreneurship • I left my comfort zone • expanding that comfort zone • Bendyworks is the eventual result of combining passion with these entrepreneurial experiences 3
12. Bendyworks • How we started Bendyworks 4
13. Bendyworks 5
14. Bendyworks • Ruby on Rails 5
15. Bendyworks • Ruby on Rails • Front end development 5
16. Bendyworks • Ruby on Rails • Front end development • Design 5
17. Bendyworks • Ruby on Rails • Front end development • Design • iOS 5
18. Bendyworks • Ruby on Rails • Front end development • Design • iOS • Clojure 5
19. Bendyworks • An experiment in doing software “right” 6
20. Extreme Programming & Agile 7
21. Extreme Programming & Agile • Risk Mitigation 7
22. Extreme Programming & Agile • Risk Mitigation • Process over Product 7
23. Extreme Programming & Agile • Risk Mitigation • Process over Product • Feedback Loops 7
24. Extreme Programming & Agile • Risk Mitigation • Process over Product • Feedback Loops • Pair Programming 7
25. Bendyworks • Growing the best development team we can 8
26. 3 Values 9
27. 3 Values • Embrace the customers’ goals 9
28. 3 Values • Embrace the customers’ goals • Trust the individual’s judgement 9
29. 3 Values • Embrace the customers’ goals • Trust the individual’s judgement • Provide an environment for success 9
30. Growth Days 10
31. Slack 11
32. Slack • Systems with slack are: 11
33. Slack • Systems with slack are: • more predictable 11
34. Slack • Systems with slack are: • more predictable • longer lasting 11
35. Slack • Systems with slack are: • more predictable • longer lasting • higher quality 11
36. Slack 12
37. Slack • People with slack in their workload: 12
38. Slack • People with slack in their workload: • are more energetic 12
39. Slack • People with slack in their workload: • are more energetic • don’t burn out 12
40. Slack • People with slack in their workload: • are more energetic • don’t burn out • have more fun 12
41. Slack • People with slack in their workload: • are more energetic • don’t burn out • have more fun • do higher quality work 12
42. It’s not about me 13
43. It’s not about me • as the business grows, it ceases to be about the founders 13
44. It’s not about me • as the business grows, it ceases to be about the founders • it’s about the team 13
45. It’s not about me • as the business grows, it ceases to be about the founders • it’s about the team • let go of roles and responsibilities over time 13
46. It’s not about me • as the business grows, it ceases to be about the founders • it’s about the team • let go of roles and responsibilities over time • this makes your team and your business more robust 13
47. It’s not about me • as the business grows, it ceases to be about the founders • it’s about the team • let go of roles and responsibilities over time • this makes your team and your business more robust • upside: you get to choose roles 13
48. Negotiation Mistakes 14
49. Negotiation Mistakes • letting a small project on a handshake turn large with no contract 14
50. Negotiation Mistakes • letting a small project on a handshake turn large with no contract • under-estimating 14
51. Negotiation Mistakes • letting a small project on a handshake turn large with no contract • under-estimating • allowing a time and materials project turn into fixed bid 14
52. Negotiation Mistakes • letting a small project on a handshake turn large with no contract • under-estimating • allowing a time and materials project turn into fixed bid • repeating the last mistake multiple times 14
53. Client Communication Mistakes 15
54. Client Communication Mistakes • insufficient client communication 15
55. Client Communication Mistakes • insufficient client communication • continuing work in the face of insufficient client communication 15
56. Client Communication Mistakes • insufficient client communication • continuing work in the face of insufficient client communication • continuing with a client who argues against quality and our practices 15
57. Most valuable word: “no” 16
58. Financial Strategies 17
59. Financial Strategies • Quality before finances 17
60. Financial Strategies • Quality before finances • yes, this is a catch-22 17
61. Financial Strategies • Quality before finances • yes, this is a catch-22 • Have options and always being able to say "no" 17
62. Financial Strategies • Quality before finances • yes, this is a catch-22 • Have options and always being able to say "no" • cash reserves 17
63. Financial Strategies • Quality before finances • yes, this is a catch-22 • Have options and always being able to say "no" • cash reserves • charge a bit less than maximum 17
64. Financial Strategies • Quality before finances • yes, this is a catch-22 • Have options and always being able to say "no" • cash reserves • charge a bit less than maximum • Company finances before Owner finances 17
65. Don’t Grow for Growth’s Sake 18
66. Growing a Business 19
67. Growing a Business • series of sticker shocks 19
68. Growing a Business • series of sticker shocks • series of calculated risks 19
69. Growing Your Business 20
70. Growing Your Business • A business is a financial engine 20
71. Growing Your Business • A business is a financial engine • This is very different from earning a salary 20
72. Growing Your Business • A business is a financial engine • This is very different from earning a salary • I’d sooner grow my business 30% than my take home pay 20
73. Growing Your Business • A business is a financial engine • This is very different from earning a salary • I’d sooner grow my business 30% than my take home pay • Let your business grow exponentially 20
74. Growing Your Business • A business is a financial engine • This is very different from earning a salary • I’d sooner grow my business 30% than my take home pay • Let your business grow exponentially • Your take home pay will grow as an echo 20
75. Serendipity • co-working 21
76. Serendipity • concerts 22
77. Q&A (please provide feedback as well) Stephen Anderson http://speakerrate.com/speakers/2657 stephen@bendyworks.com @bendycode @bendyworks http://bendyworks.com 23