evolution of software projects

Software Projects: from NASA to your startupDima Malenko

GatheringHuntingFishing

How does the project of your

dream look like?

Project of his dream

How does the project of your

dream look like?

Project of everyone’s dream

• One of– for iOS– built on Node.js (or cool tech of your

choice)– uses MongoDB as backend

• “Cool” (or “hip” in some sources)• Cashes out• All happens quickly

…to move to the next dream project

- Let’s make a project to post photos!- Cool, but let all photos be square.

And don’t forget filters

- Let’s make a project to post photos!- Cool, but let all photos be square.

And don’t forget filters...- And let’s also use Agile!

Why Agile?

Who knows if…

• users will think they need yet another app to take photos and post them on the Internet

• we can get enough users solely on iPhone so that our service will make some sense

• there will be enough people willing to “enhance” their masterpieces with our filters

• we would be able to make any money off this gig

Undefined

Undefined Unknown

• business model• users• requirements

Not always dream-projects were like this…

Do you know what’s this?

Manchester Mark I.World’s first commercially available computer.

What was the first program

for the first computer?

Calculating Mersenne Primes

Find prime numbers, which have the form of 2n-1

June 1949

What can you say about this project?

Hacker’s Dream Project:Calculating Mersenne Primes

clear well defined requirementshighly educated staff from Math.

Dept.nothing to do with businessalgorithmically challengingall the time in the Universe to

improve technical implementation

First Business Application

LEO I at J. Lyons and Co.:

Nov 1951

calculate the overnight production requirements, assembly instructions, delivery schedules, invoices, costings, and management reports

In-house Operations Management

more or less defined requirementscomputers dictated, what humans doextensive user trainingstill huge in technical complexity

Rise of subcontracting: DOD, NASA and others

• Humongous improvements from using computers

• Growing demand for software

• Development is often subcontracted

Development for Goverment

less defined requirementsexternal dependencies in both

technology and processesstrict contractual obligationsoften technically complex

What’s Important for a Successful Project?

Deliver all the planned features on time and within budget

Do you know what’s this?

VisiCalc.Often credited for turning PCs from hobby into

business tool

Retail Consumer Software

users start playing more significant role

more or less defined requirementsusers still adapt to what computers

can doless experienced and trained usersstill significant technical complexity

In consumer computing hardware

was no longer a significant limiting

factor

What would happen if…

• Angry Birds was released with 36 levels instead of 43? –Nothing!

• Angry Birds was released 3 weeks later? –Nothing!

• Angry Birds development overrun the budget?–Nothing… given that over 12 million $1 copies were sold in 2010

What’s Important for a Successful Project Now?

Be a “Net Positive” at the end by deliver useful features timely and in a cost effective manner

Agile works great for that!

World is not like these pants, luckily…

World is more like these pants

There is always a room for choice

Do it wisely!

Questions?

www.dmalenko.orgdmalenko@rollapp.com

@dmalenko