A talk given at Monki Gras 2016
SPINNING OUT
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DESKBEERS BEGAN AS A SIDE-PROJECT OF MINTBACK IN NOV. 2013
SIMPLE PREMISE:DELIVER CRAFT BEERTO OFFICES.
AFTER A LITTLE OVERA YEAR, WE DECIDEDWE HAD A VIABLEBUSINESS.
MVP BUILT AND PROVEN.
100+ CUSTOMERS.
NON-TRIVIAL REVENUE.
CLEAR ROADMAP.
GRAND AMBITION.
WE DECIDED TO“SPIN OUT”.
IN MARCH 2015, WECOMPLETED A SEEDROUND VIACROWDFUNDING.
DESKBEERS THE SIDEPROJECT BECAMEDESKBEERS LTD.
SO FAR SO GOOD.WHAT NEXT?
A FINITE AMOUNT OFCASH IN THE BANK.
2 FULL-TIMEEMPLOYEES.
OPERATION: DON’TGO BROKE.
USE COMPUTERS TODO THINGS.
HOW DO WE MAKESURE WE GET ITRIGHT?
DO THE WORK.
SPOT THE PATTERN.
WRITE THE CODE.
AN EXAMPLE:
EVERY WEEK WE BUYBEER FOR THEFOLLOWING WEEK.
DIFFERENT BREWERIES.
DIFFERENT QUANTITIES.
THINGS DON’T ALWAYSGO ACCORDING TOPLAN.
WHEN WE DON'T HAVEENOUGH OF THISWEEK’S BEER…
…IF WE’VE GOT ANYBEER IN STOCK, SENDTHAT TO NEWCUSTOMERS FIRST…
…AND / OR SENDEXISTING CUSTOMERSNEXT WEEK’S BEER.
EVERY WEEK WE DEALWITH SOME VERSIONOF THIS.
CAN GENERALLY BESOLVED IN THE SAMEWAY.
POTENTIAL BOXES =BOXES IN STOCK -CUSTOMER’S HISTORY
THIS IS A FORMULA…
…THAT CAN BEWRITTEN DOWN ASCODE…
…AND RUNAUTOMATICALLY.
“FOR EACH DESIREDCHANGE, MAKE THECHANGE EASY (WARNING:THIS MAY BE HARD),THEN MAKE THE EASYCHANGE” - @KENTBECK
WE NEED:
THE CONCEPT OF A“BOX”…
…THAT CAN BEAPPLIED TO ANORDER…
…THAT KNOWS ABOUTTHE BEERS INSIDE IT…
…HOW MANY ARE INSTOCK…
…AND HOW LONGWE’VE HAD THEM.
potential_boxes = (boxes_in_stock - customer_history)chosen = potential_boxes.reject do |c|c.quantity < @order.box_countend.firstif chosen.present?@order.update_attribute(:box, chosen)chosen.decrement_quantity(@order.box_count)end
CREATING BOXES,STOCK MANAGEMENT& A BEER CMS WASNOT SO EASY.
CREATING A BOX-PICKING ALGORITHMAFTERWARDS WASEASY.
IN ORDER TO “MAKETHE CHANGE EASY”WE HAD TO REALLYUNDERSTAND THEPROBLEM.
AND FIND A LEVEL OFABSTRACTION WE ARECONFIDENT MAKESSENSE.
THE WRONGABSTRACTION IS FARMORE DAMAGINGTHAN NOABSTRACTION AT ALL.- @SANDIMETZ
NOW WE HAVE ASIMPLE, EXTENDABLE,ROBUST SYSTEM FORFUTUREDEVELOPMENT.
PREFERENCES,RATINGS, MACHINELEARNING? AI?
DO THE WORK
SPOT THE PATTERN
WRITE THE CODE
AUTOMATING THINGSIS OUR JOB.
THAT IS WHAT MAKESDESKBEERS A VIABLEBUSINESS…
…PROVIDE EXCELLENTCUSTOMER SERVICE…
…FIND F$*?ING GREATBEER…
…DEVELOP NEWFEATURES…
…ACQUIRE NEWCUSTOMERS.
WHAT ELSE CAN WEAUTOMATE?
BOOKING DELIVERIES.
NOTIFYING CUSTOMERS.
ORDERING SUPPLIES.
ANYTHING ELSE WESPEND TIME DOING.
CHEERS
@RODREEGEZ