Join Devin S. Olson as he relates various lessons learned (some of them the hard way) about processes and patterns that often lead to project failure; along with the steps you can take to avoid them. Devin will share experiences from his 25 years as a professional developer, some of which are hilarious, some of which are sad, and some are both. Whether you find this session entertaining or offensive, you will come away having learned something.

1. Paired with an
Idiot
Things that sabotage success
1#engageug

2. azlighthouse works, llc
HCL Master
Notes and Domino
Developer since R3
3-Time IBM Champion
LearningXPages.com
Traditional (non-Notes)
development background.
Husband, Father, Mentor,
Brew-Master, Curmudgeon
Devin S. Olson – Clown Ninja

3. Thanks to our Sponsors

4. Kevin Bacon

5. Uncomfortable Truths
• You don’t know
• Your specs are wrong
• Your requirements are invalid
• Your client doesn’t know what they want
• You have been talking to the wrong people
5#engageug

6. You don’t know… what you don’t know
“Did you want to borrow my
pajamas?”
-Lazlo Hollyfeld
6#engageug

7. • Project for a large manufacturing company.
Your specs are wrong

8. • Project for a large manufacturing company.
• Replacing Netware shared files architecture with multi-
NSF Application Suite
Your specs are wrong

9. • Project for a large manufacturing company.
• Replacing Netware shared files architecture with multi-
NSF Application Suite
• 2 clustered Domino servers
Your Requirements are Invalid

10. • Project for a large manufacturing company.
• Replacing Netware shared files architecture with multi-
NSF Application Suite
• 2 clustered Domino servers
• Multi-user shared Notes Client workstations on factory
floor
Your client doesn’t know what they want

11. • Project for a large manufacturing company.
• Replacing Netware shared files architecture with multi-
NSF Application Suite
• 2 clustered Domino servers
• Multi-user shared Notes Client workstations on factory
floor
• 4 months development & testing
Your client doesn’t know what they want

12. • Project for a large manufacturing company.
• Replacing Netware shared files architecture with multi-
NSF Application Suite
• 2 clustered Domino servers
• Multi-user shared Notes Client workstations on factory
floor
• 4 months development & testing - ACTIVE DIRECTORY
Your have been talking to the wrong people

13. More Uncomfortable Truths
• Jira is not Agile Development
• MS Project is not Project Management
• Closed Support Tickets are not communication
13#engageug

14. JIRA – just a tool

15. Make sure customer understands your methods (agile).
Non-tech Companies that don’t do updates often may not
understand Sprints and will believe they are getting a
completed product.
Agile Development Rule #1

16. Things you can do
• Help Others
• Focus on quality
• Train your customer
• Use source control
• Learn to say no
• Have fun
16#engageug

17. Help Others
“It never hurts to help!”
-Eek! The Cat
17#engageug

18. Microgivashits
• Microgivashits are microscopic life
forms that reside within all living
cells.
• We are symbionts with them, that
is, life forms living together for
mutual advantage.
• Without microgivashits, people
would not care about what they do,
and we would have no pride in our
work.
• They continually speak to us,
reminding us to do things right.
What are microgivashits?

19. Do it Right
“It is often (always) tempting as a programmer to focus on
doing it quickly to meet deadlines and budgets and so forth.
But as I come across routines written in the 1990s in my
product that is in use today in companies all over the world,
I am reminded that it is better to focus on doing it right.”
-Ben Langhinrichs
19#engageug

20. Prepare your client if they will need to do their own
internal training.
They may not have the right resources and will need
courseware.
College of Education: Customer Training

21. • Git
• BitBucket
• Mercurial
• Codeville
• Fossil
• SourceTree
Use Source Control
• CVS
• Subversion
• Vesta
• CIAO!
• Vault
• Bazaar

22. Learn to say no

23. Have fun
{
"Name": "Jason Voorhees",
"Location": "Camp Crystal Lake",
"Appearance": "Hockey Mask",
"Weapon": "Machete",
"Occupation": “Behaviorist",
"Attack": 1045,
"Health": 1045,
"Toughness": 1013,
"Recovery": 1013,
"Power": 100,
"Special": "Unyielding Pursuit"
}

24. A few more things
• Communicate
• Find a partner
• Know what you are working with
• Acknowledge and Repent past mistakes
• Talk to END USERS
• Avoid Turf Wars
24#engageug

25. If you introduce new players or key point persons, make
sure they understand your customer.
Your brand looks ridiculous when your client must train
your new guy.
Communications 101

26. Paired Programming
Everybody needs somebody

27. Know what you are working with
“Googling Errors for 2 hours can save you 10
minutes of reading documentation”
-Daniel Nashed
27#engageug

28. Discard unused code

29. Acknowledge & Repent Past Mistakes
Stop Using Hidden Design

30. • Marketing Campaign application
You don’t know

31. • Marketing Campaign application
• Repository for mixed-media attachments (documents,
images, sound clips, etc)
Your specs are wrong

32. • Marketing Campaign application
• Repository for mixed-media attachments (documents,
images, sound clips, etc)
• Workflow & Approvals, Mail Notifications, etc.
Your requirements are invalid

33. • Marketing Campaign application
• Repository for mixed-media attachments (documents,
images, sound clips, etc)
• Workflow & Approvals, Mail Notifications, etc.
• Multiple meetings with Business Process owners
Your client doesn’t know what they want

34. • Marketing Campaign application
• Repository for mixed-media attachments (documents,
images, sound clips, etc)
• Workflow & Approvals, Mail Notifications, etc.
• Multiple meetings with Business Process owners
• Multiple architecture reviews
You have been talking to the wrong people

35. • Marketing Campaign application
• Repository for mixed-media attachments (documents,
images, sound clips, etc)
• Workflow & Approvals, Mail Notifications, etc.
• Multiple meetings with Business Process owners
• Multiple architecture reviews
• UAT MASSIVE FAILURE – Workflow USELESS
Talk to END USERS

36. Classic Blunders: Avoid Turf Wars

37. Be Kind
Costs you Nothing
Wheaton’s Rule
37#engageug

38. Give Back
“When you reach the
top, remember to send
the elevator back
down for the others”
-Edith Piaf
38#engageug

39. Thanks to our Sponsors

40. www.azlighthouse.com
devin.olson@azlighthouse.com
Linked In: Devin Olson
Facebook: default.xsp
Twitter, Skype: @spanky762
+1 616-295-1683
Devin S. Olson Contact Info