How to plan a feature (short version)

Transcript

1. Radoslav Stankov
   How to Plan a Feature
   

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3. Radoslav Stankov
   @rstankov
   

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9. Complicated feature !
   

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10. Where to start?
    

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11. Waterfall methodology
    

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12. " Waterfall Methodology
    

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13. ... this what we get
    

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15. Agile methodology
    

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16. # Agile Methodology
    

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18. No need for upfront
    design, just...
    

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19. ... code like a cowboy
    

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21. ... this what we get
    

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22. Lean
    

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24. Shape Up
    

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26. We are in build phase ... now what?
    

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31. Tools when you need them...
    

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32. $ Shape Up Hill Chart
    

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33. $ Shape Up Hill Chart
    

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35. Plan for today
    

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36. % Drawing
    & Spike
    ' Agenda
    

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37. % Drawing
    

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39. ( Draw state/flow we want to achieve
    ) Draw current state/flow
    * Database structure
    ➡ What we need todo (plan)
    % Drawing
    

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40. , Tools
    Excalidraw - great for single player
    Whimsical - great for collaboration

    

    PlantUML - great for documentation
    Figma - for UI collaboration with designer
    Miro/FigJam - for group brainstorming
    ... use whatever works for you -
    

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41. https://blog.rstankov.com/how-i-plan-and-execute-features/
    

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43. done
    todo
    won't do
    in progress
    https://blog.rstankov.com/how-i-plan-and-execute-features/
    

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46. . Showcase 1
    

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47. Feature: Stacking on product page
    product page (not in stack) -> do you use -> yes -> review

    product page (not in stack) -> do you use -> no -> search (alternative) -> review 

    product page (in stack) -> still using? -> yes -> ask for tip -> add tip

    product page (in stack) -> still using? -> no -> search (alternative) -> review
    . Showcase 1
    (end to end test scenarios)
    

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48. . Showcase 2
    

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49. . Showcase 2
    

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50. . Showcase 3
    (brainstorm)
    

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51. . Showcase 4
    (advice)
    

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52. . Showcase 5
    (advice)
    

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53. PlantUML
    https://www.plantuml.com/
    

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54. @startuml
    "Browser" -> "Cloudflare": HTTPS Request
    "Cloudflare" -> "AWS ELB": HTTPS Request
    "AWS ELB" -> "Frontend (AWS ECS)": HTTPS Request
    "Frontend (AWS ECS)" -> "Backend (AWS ECS)": GraphQL Request
    "Backend (AWS ECS)" -> "Redis (Rediscloud)": Cache Query
    "Backend (AWS ECS)" -> "Database (AWS RDS Aurora)": SQL Query
    "Backend (AWS ECS)" --> "Frontend (AWS ECS)": JSON Response
    "Frontend (AWS ECS)" --> "Browser": HTML Response
    @enduml
    PlantUML
    https://www.plantuml.com/
    

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57. ( Explain the problem to someone (vocal or in writing)
    ) Why something won't work
    / While doing this ideas will come
    / Explain the problem
    

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58. ( Create empty file on Desktop
    ) Write quick & dirty code in empty file
    * Imagine a perfect world for this code
    0 Delete file
    # If solution is 1 ➡ think of something else
    ➡ If solution is ✅ ➡ use ideas in project
    ✍ Code Sketch
    

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60. 4 ...but
    “Why don't you use paper? ... I like using paper”
    “I can't draw, I don't have the skills.”
    

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61. 4 ...but
    “Why don't you use paper? ... I like using paper”
    “I can't draw, I don't have the skills.”
    5 Paper is too small, I want infinite canvas
    6 Paper is permanent, I want to re-arrange, update
    7 I want to share with multiple people and collaborate
    

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62. 4 ...but
    “Why don't you use paper? ... I like using paper”
    “I can't draw, I don't have the skills.”
    If paper works for you ... amazing, keep using it 8
    

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63. 4 ...but
    “Why don't you use paper? ... I like using paper”
    “I can't draw, I don't have the skills.”
    I couldn't too, it took me 6~8 months to get good with
    Excalidraw ... I'm still improving. 9
    

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64. 4 ...but
    “Why don't you use paper? ... I like using paper”
    “I can't draw, I don't have the skills.”
    

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65. & Spike
    

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66. “A task aimed at answering a question or gathering
    information, rather than at producing shippable product.
    Sometimes we can't estimate until the development
    team does some actual work to resolve a technical
    question or a design problem.”
    - WikipediA
    Spike
    (software development)
    

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67. “A task aimed at answering a question or gathering
    information, rather than at producing shippable product.
    Sometimes we can't estimate until the development
    team does some actual work to resolve a technical
    question or a design problem.”
    - WikipediA
    Spike
    (software development)
    

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68. : Define scope and time-box
    ( Write quick & dirty code in a Pull Request
    ) Review the solution
    * Close Pull Request without merging
    # If solution is 1 ➡ Discuss new solution
    ➡ If solution is ✅ ➡ Open new Pull Request
    & Spike
    

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70. “The goal of a "spike" is to help you draw a map of
    how to implement a solution with confidence, not
    to implement a solution.”
    - Rado
    

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71. “The best feature of a "spike" is that it is a safe way
    to say this approach doesn't work.”
    - Rado
    

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73. 4 ...but
    “We can't do a "spike" for every feature. It will
    waste too much time.”
    “You don't need a "spike" to show that your
    solution isn't good.”
    “Why do you need to throw away the code?”
    “Isn't this a Prototype, MVP, PoC?”
    

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74. 4 ...but
    “We can't do a "spike" for every feature. It will
    waste too much time.”
    “You don't need a "spike" to show that your
    solution isn't good.”
    “Why do you need to throw away the code?”
    “Isn't this a Prototype, MVP, PoC?”
    Don't do it for every feature. Do it when you are not
    confident how to solve a problem. ;
    

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75. 4 ...but
    “We can't do a "spike" for every feature. It will
    waste too much time.”
    “You don't need a "spike" to show that your
    solution isn't good.”
    “Why do you need to throw away the code?”
    “Isn't this a Prototype, MVP, PoC?”
    Because of "Tunnel vision" and "sunk cost fallacy" ;
    

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76. 4 ...but
    “We can't do a "spike" for every feature. It will
    waste too much time.”
    “You don't need a "spike" to show that your
    solution isn't good.”
    “Why do you need to throw away the code?”
    “Isn't this a Prototype, MVP, PoC?”
    Because it is usually a mess. I don't delete it, I just
    copy parts I need into a clean new PR ;
    

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77. 4 ...but
    “We can't do a "spike" for every feature. It will
    waste too much time.”
    “You don't need a "spike" to show that your
    solution isn't good.”
    “Why do you need to throw away the code?”
    “Isn't this a Prototype, MVP, PoC?”
    Kinda - yes. The difference is in how big it is, who is
    meant for team or external, and do we ship it in
    production. -
    

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78. 4 ...but
    “We can't do a "spike" for every feature. It will
    waste too much time.”
    “You don't need a "spike" to show that your
    solution isn't good.”
    “Why do you need to throw away the code?”
    “Isn't this a Prototype, MVP, PoC?”
    

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79. Recap
    

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81. ... of course all depends on
    specific feature -
    

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83. Thanks 8
    

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84. https://speakerdeck.com/rstankov
    

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