This document discusses how to avoid killing a project through accumulating technical debt. It provides tips for project managers to identify, understand, and address technical debt issues. The document outlines 4 steps for project managers to address crappy code: 1) identify the problem, 2) identify the reason, 3) act to stop writing junk code, and 4) monitor code health going forward. It also lists signs that a project may be in trouble from too much technical debt and recommendations for what project managers can do to improve code quality and reduce debt.

1. The Best Way to Kill Your Project
Galina Kostetskaya!
Engineering Manager!
14/08/2014

2. Today’s agenda
• Technical debt!
• Tests!
• Squeeze the juice!
• Crappy code!
• 4 easy steps for PMs!
• How to understand, that we are in a
trouble!
• What PM can do about all of that
stuff!
• Q&A
2© Copyright Innovecs 2012

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It always starts in a very !
optimistic way….

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Technical debt
is a term to describe the cumulative
consequences of corners being cut
throughout the development
process.

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Technical debt

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They
are
so
serious,
as
they
are
observing
how
the
tech
debt
is
born.
10
sec
before
the
push.
Someone
just
said
“Let’s
fix
it
after
the
demo”.

7. 7© Copyright Innovecs 2012
Tests
Your project is like a rocket – you are
moving so fast, that you have no
time for unit tests.

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Squeeze the juice
•Short-term speed (Sprint) !
•Long-term speed (Marathon)
you can't have both

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Squeeze the juice

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Crappy code!

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CRAPPY CODE!
rescue kit for PMs (in 4 steps)

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Step 1. Identify the problem.
If you hear that the code is crap
while drinking coffee at the
kitchen or passing by the
developer’s table – it’s a bit late.

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Step 2. Identify the reason.
Crappy code exists because
developers created it.

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Step 3: Act
STOP WRITING JUNK CODE.!
Just stop doing it.!

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What if you don’t

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What can help
!
• Keep your test’s green. !
• Definition of done.!
• You inherited crappy code from
your descendants: It is not
possible to “overwrite
everything” as your team
advices you. Just start with
reducing the tech debt.

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What if you do

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Step 4: Everything is ok now? !
It’s time to monitor)
!
• Add the subcolumn “Tech
debt” to your board. !
• Check the “Code health”
rate during the daily
meeting/retrospective.

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How to understand, that we !
are in a trouble
•You don’t produce any tech debt.!
•The bugs don’t stop. !
•Your code has too many // @todo: come
back and fix!
•You have no tests.!
•Developers don’t perform refactoring.!
•Velocity is going down.!
•You have a lot of “places” everyone is
scared to touch as they “just work”

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What PM can do
•Do not ask your client’s if they need
unit tests. If they need refactoring. You
just do that.!
•Set the process. Just set it, no mess or
“will do it later’ aloud.!
•Make your tech dept visible. !
•Share the code. !
•Perform code reviews.

21. 21© Copyright Innovecs 2012

22. Thank you!!
!
Galina Kostetskaya!
!
Engineering Manager!
!