Communication problems within complex projects

Transcript

1. Communication problems within complex projects lessons learned from real life

   Eugene Pirogov 2014

2. I SUCK! AT COMMUNICATING

3. The Story

4. Input data Computation Output data Project scheme… …was dead simple.

5. Computation! ! = lot of details

6. PROGRAMMING! IS HARD?! ! GO READ THE! DAMN BOOK.

7. None

8. COMMUNICATION! IS HARD.! ! YOU ONLY LEARN! EMPIRICALLY.

9. “We need a new big feature!” – every client in

   the world.

10. Input data Computation Output data 1 Project scheme Output data

    2

11. Input data Computation Output data Project scheme

12. Input data — Computation — Output data Project scheme =

    throuple —

13. “We need a time to refactor first.” – every programmer

    in the world.

14. After a day or two of thinking it through, I

    begin to work.

15. During the two period month, it’s Skype, me and client.

    Summary

16. Summary • 1 man • ~2 months • 3 pull

    requests • 2/3 pull requests reviewed/merged to master • zero of code is running on prod (waiting for 3rd PR)

17. The 3rd PR is somewhat “tough” to review. ! Hmm…

18. Let’s split it in reviewable parts.

19. Summary • entire team is working • +1 month •

    3rd PR is split into 10 smaller PRs • 8/10 smaller PRs are merged • the team is insanely stressed out • zero of code is running on prod

20. “Time’s up!” – every client in the world (probably).

21. The NOT happy ending

22. Summary • the deadline wasn't met – the feature wasn't

    delivered • all new code was deployed on production, but no new code was actually used • the codebase is a mess • me – super stressed, almost quit • the project is being put on "no new features mode"

23. The Reasons

24. Ridiculous pull requests Reason #1

25. REVIEWS! ARE BLOCKED

26. EVERYONE! GET IRRITATED

27. epicpullrequests.tumblr.com

28. Lack of understanding Reason #2

29. IT’S HARD TO! FOLLOW! WHAT WE ARE! BUILDING

30. No record Reason #3

31. COMMUNICATION! IS! BROKEN

32. NO! DESIGN! DOCS

33. SKYPE! IS! NOT! A WAY! TO DO IT

34. Lack of seniority Reason #4

35. I has the dumb™ Reason #5

36. The Lessons

37. You can’t do everything yourself Lesson #1

38. YOU! ARE! A MEMBER! OF! A TEAM

39. HERO! MODE! OFF

40. IT’S! A STRESS.! ! DO! YOU! WANT! THAT?

41. Always remain on the damn record! Lesson #2

42. COMMUNICATE! IN A! SHARED SPACE.

43. GITHUB.! COMMIT MESSAGES.! PIVOTAL TRACKER.! CAMPFIRE.! ! EMAILS ARE GOOD!

    BUT NOT GREAT.! ! FUCK SKYPE.

44. Take a step back Lesson #3

45. DO NOT! BLINDLY GO! AFTER CLIENT’S! REQUESTS

46. ONLY! FOOLS! WRITE! CODE! FIRST™

47. blog.reemer.com/why- only-fools-write-code-first

48. Learn to ask & accept feedback Lesson #4

49. TAKE IT GENTLY.! ! TAKE IT WISELY.

50. YOU! ALL ! STRUGGLE! TO MAKE! A BETTER! PRODUCT.

51. OTHER PEOPLE! DISAGREE?! ! IT ONLY MEANS! THEY CARE.

52. You are not your code Lesson #5

53. DO NOT GET! DRIFTED AWAY! BY ASSOCIATING! YOURSELF! TO THE

    CODE! YOUR PRODUCE.

54. Provide the information Lesson #6

55. IT WILL! SECURE YOU

56. LET! EVERYONE! DO THEIR BEST! TO HELP! YOU

57. GISTs! AND! GOOGLE DOCS! ARE AWESOME

58. WRITE! DOWN! THE STUFF.! ! THEN! SHARE IT.

59. Do not let other people down Lesson #7

60. YOU WILL PAY! BY STRESSING OUT

61. THE TEAM! WILL PAY BY TURNING! INTO A CRUNCH MODE

62. THE CLIENT! WILL PAY,! LITERALLY

63. Talk today and not tomorrow Lesson #8

64. LIFE! IS SHORT! TO WAIT UNTIL! TOMORROW.

65. It’s all my fault Lesson #9

66. ALWAYS! DO! THE! BEST! OF YOU.

67. sivers.org/my-fault

68. Do not fear to do mistakes Lesson #10

69. LIFE! IS! A JOURNEY.! ! WHY FEAR IT?

70. REPEATING! MISTAKES
 IS NOT! PROFESSIONAL

71. EXPERIENCE! IS! PRICELESS.! ! EVEN IF A BAD ONE.

72. STOP! DIGGING! YOURSELF! A HOLE! AND! LEARN! TO! COMMUNICATE

73. The Clean Coder: A Code of Conduct for Professional Programmers

    @unclebobmartin

74. Thanks! Questions? @gmile