The Project From Hell - And How To Handle It (PHPAmersfoort May 2017)

Not all projects are created equal. Next to those awesome projects where everything is perfect, including the end product you deliver to the client, there's also the projects you hate and wished you'd never taken on. During this talk, I'll tell you about some of the projects I've been on that were all but perfect and how I handled them, or should've handled them.

Transcript

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2. Project from hell
   And how to handle it
   PHPAmersfoort
   May 9th, 2017
   @skoop
   

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3. Disclaimer
   This is a brand new talk
   

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4. Disclaimer
   This is a brand new talk
   » I need feedback!
   

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5. Disclaimer
   This is a brand new talk
   » I need feedback!
   » Feel free to ask questions
   

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6. Disclaimer
   This is a brand new talk
   » I need feedback!
   » Feel free to ask questions
   » https://joind.in/talk/37824
   

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7. Disclaimer 2
   I am not bashing here
   

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8. Disclaimer 2
   I am not bashing here
   » It's about the lessons learned
   

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9. Structure
   

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10. Who
    has also had a project
    from hell?
    

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11. Project 1
    

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14. Project 1
    Lessons learned
    

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15. Project 1
    Lessons learned
    » Take learning curve into account
    

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16. Project 1
    Lessons learned
    » Take learning curve into account
    » Make sure you have full specs
    

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17. Project 1
    Lessons learned
    » Take learning curve into account
    » Make sure you have full specs
    » Avoid deadlines
    

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18. Project 2
    

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21. Project 2
    Lessons learned
    

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22. Project 2
    Lessons learned
    » Take the learning curve into account
    

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23. Project 2
    Lessons learned
    » Take the learning curve into account
    » Get clear specifications
    

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24. Project 3
    

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27. Project 3
    Lessons learned
    

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28. Project 3
    Lessons learned
    » Go beyond PHP
    

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29. Project 3
    Lessons learned
    » Go beyond PHP
    » Specifications! Specifications! Specifications!
    

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30. Project 4
    

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32. Project 4
    Lessons learned
    

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33. Project 4
    Lessons learned
    » Try to stay out of politics
    

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34. Project 4
    Lessons learned
    » Try to stay out of politics
    » If you get caught up, stay objective
    

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35. Project 5
    

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37. Project 5
    Lessons learned
    

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38. Project 5
    Lessons learned
    » Did I mention specs yet?
    

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39. Project 5
    Lessons learned
    » Did I mention specs yet?
    » Think business
    

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40. Project 5
    Lessons learned
    » Did I mention specs yet?
    » Think business
    » Focus on customer needs, not customer wants
    

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41. Project 6
    

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45. Project 6
    Lessons learned
    

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46. Project 6
    Lessons learned
    » Ensure projects are within your accepted travel
    reach
    

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47. Project 6
    Lessons learned
    » Ensure projects are within your accepted travel
    reach
    » Get all agreements with customers on paper and
    signed
    

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48. Project 6
    Lessons learned
    » Ensure projects are within your accepted travel
    reach
    » Get all agreements with customers on paper and
    signed
    » Be prepared to work with people you don't like (or
    have an exit)
    

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49. More projects?
    

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50. Questions?
    

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51. Thank you
    @skoop
    https://leftontheweb.com/
    https://joind.in/talk/37824
    

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