Jaguar2010

From UG

March First Letter to Simon

Simon,

We agreed on Thursday that we would add 2 senior operators to IT and make them BA (Business Analysts) as well as hire 1 SA (IT Systems Analyst).

I feel that it would be better to add one (or none) BA and hire two SA. Cost would be approximately the same but new team would be much stronger. We would still need part time BAs or "Key Users" (I define this below).

Major reasons: a lot of features (like reports, new rates module, new warehousing module) from the start are very technical and BA resources would not be useful for that. Instead we should invest time in training SA in freight forwarding.

Also, there are a lot of features that require very specific “Key users” from across of the organization to be involved as BAs. For example full time BAs that we hire would not be able to help us with purchase side of CT2 accounting – we would need to allocate some time of accounting operator to work with us.

Another good example that we had this month is a feature that automates work flow for specific operator for specific Client and mode of transport (Trucking Billing Manifest Spreadsheet for Arden Domestic). In this case again full time BA wouldn't help. Instead SA have to interview specific “Key User” that works with this specific work flow.

Also having more SA means we can have more “virtual parallel teams” working on various components. Each team would consist of SA, part time Key User, Developer and QA.

Finally I think that Jaguar will succeed in software development only if it radically alters its approach:

• Systems Analysts should be trained in business domain.

• Design (How it will work) should not be just handed out to Systems Analysts by Business. They need to create it based on Requirements (What are the needs) and their own analysis. Only then their full potential would be fully utilized.

• Systems Analyst should have access to interview anybody they think they need to create best design and should have a chance to ask literally as many questions “Why?” as they wish. And get detailed answers.

• System Analysts should not be forced to finalize design as quickly as possible. They should have time to fully analyze business work flows, etc

• Limit scope for every module / product

• Minimize and better manage change

• Number of other things

Just adding resources (and more work) without changing approach very likely is going to just add more pain (proportionally to the number of new resources :) )

Please let me know what you think. Let's discuss.

Regards, Alex.

P.S. I spend significant time this weekend thinking about new IT Model, consulting with Kostya, reading recommendations by leading experts in this area: Steve McConnell, Joel Spolsky, Eric Sink, Karl Wiegers

Consultations with Kostya (Dev Manager)

[2/28/2010 7:38:44 AM] konstantin.ushakov: privet. ya segodnya govoril so svoim odnoklassnikom - Zeney Sen'ko - on zanimaetsya razrabotroy razlichnih appratnih kompleksov - zelezom vobschem zanimaetsya - on skazal chto u nego est' kontakty v Kobcentre i tam mozno nayti programmerov s opytom raboty. tak chto mozno budet poprobovat' cherez nego nayti lyudey. dumayu eto vpolne real'no i ne dorogo budet.
[2/28/2010 7:39:14 AM] konstantin.ushakov: Kobcentre = Kibcentre :)
[2/28/2010 7:40:40 AM] konstantin.ushakov: tak chto zdu ot vas okonchatel'nogo podtverzdeniya i trebovaniy. i zadachi nado zaplanirovat' obyazatel'no.
[2/28/2010 10:42:26 AM] alex dobrovolsky: Kostya, privet! My mogem s toboi pogovorit chut' pozge o novoi komande? Gde to cherez chas>
[2/28/2010 10:44:04 AM] alex dobrovolsky: 1) O voprose chto dat' developeru esli vremenno net konkretnyh zadach ot Jaguar po komponentu 2) kakie komu dat' komponenty
[2/28/2010 10:45:07 AM] alex dobrovolsky: Ishodya iz komandy: ty + dev1(sasha) + dev2+dev3
[2/28/2010 11:11:07 AM] alex dobrovolsky: Predpologim chto vnachale (next 2-3 month) budet tol'ko imetsya:


Current projects:
-----------------

Ass1 (purchase side) (now - Kostya, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=low)
Acc2 (sales side) (now - Sasha, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=low)
Client (now - Sasha, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=med/high)

OpsReps (now - Kostya, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=high)
OpsPdfs (now - Kostya, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=med/high)

DBA (now - Kostya, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=med)
Ops/OpsAdmin (now - Kostya, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=high)


Projects that will be added in the future (in 2-3-4 months?):
-------------------------------------------------------------

CRM / CT2 integration (now - nobbody, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=unknown)
Rates module (now - nobbody, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=high)
Warehousing (now - nobbody, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=high)
Agent interface into CT2 (now - nobbody, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=med/high)
CT2 / Quickbooks integration (now - nobbody, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=unknown)
EDI interface from CT2 to various systems (now - nobbody, after restructuring - ?) (estimated future workload=unknown)

And more .... 


In House projects:
------------------

Investigation of useful frameforks that we could use in  the future (Struts, Hybernate, etc)
Investigation of software that we might need expertise in  the future (Quickbooks, SAP, etc)

Creation of useful tools that we need in house. Example: Timesheet App - for developer to record man/hours spent on particular task daily

Investigation of competitor's software: CT2 type software

Writing useful Java libs, etc.
[2/28/2010 11:14:29 AM] alex dobrovolsky: To est' ya postaraus' uznat' bolee podrobno o budushei zagruzke, no dumau eto budet ochen' netochno. Ya schitau chto nado prosto rspredelit' roli megdu vsemi 3mya dev i toboi po komponentam novym i starym (see above) i esli vdrug kogo-to net zadach, togda etot chelovek prosto perekluchaetsya na rabotu nad odnim iz "In House Projects" (see above)
[2/28/2010 11:14:36 AM] alex dobrovolsky: davai obsudim
[2/28/2010 11:14:53 AM] alex dobrovolsky: ya budu cherez minut 40 (approx)
[2/28/2010 11:29:08 AM] konstantin.ushakov: Current projects:
-----------------

Ass1 (purchase side) (now - Kostya, after restructuring - Kostya) (estimated future workload=low)
Acc2 (sales side) (now - Sasha, after restructuring - Sasha) (estimated future workload=low)
Client (now - Sasha, after restructuring - Dev 1) (estimated future workload=med/high)

OpsReps (now - Kostya, after restructuring - Kostya or/and Dev 2) (estimated future workload=high)
OpsPdfs (now - Sasha, after restructuring - Sasha) (estimated future workload=med/high)

DBA (now - Kostya, after restructuring - Kostya) (estimated future workload=med)
Ops/OpsAdmin (now - Kostya, after restructuring - Kostya) (estimated future workload=high)

questions:
DBA - what is it?
Ops/OpsAdmin - estimated future workload=high - ???
[2/28/2010 11:32:20 AM] konstantin.ushakov: i ya eschyo hochyu srazu dorogovorit'sya - developery ne pereklyuchayutsya s kompoonenta na kkomponent. planirivanie tak dolzno bit' postroeno, chto etogo ne bylo!
[2/28/2010 12:03:08 PM] alex dobrovolsky: Are you there?
[2/28/2010 12:03:52 PM] konstantin.ushakov: da
[2/28/2010 12:04:28 PM] alex dobrovolsky: ok, chitau tvoi notes
[2/28/2010 12:06:18 PM] alex dobrovolsky: DBA - Database Administrator
[2/28/2010 12:07:43 PM] alex dobrovolsky: Ops/OpsAdmin - estimated future workload=high  - s uchetom re-write of CT editor i kucha melkogo drugogo tipa validation, User rights admin re-design, etc
[2/28/2010 12:08:43 PM] alex dobrovolsky: Chto ty dumaesh' po povodu Projects that will be added in the future (in 2-3-4 months?) AND In House projects ?
[2/28/2010 12:09:21 PM] konstantin.ushakov: dumayu k tomu vmeneni my dolzny zakonchit' Current projects
[2/28/2010 12:10:02 PM] konstantin.ushakov: kak minimum chast' iz nih
[2/28/2010 12:10:14 PM] alex dobrovolsky:  Current projects - dumau vsegda chto to budet tipa novye reports, pdfs ili redisign (P/L re-design)
[2/28/2010 12:10:40 PM] konstantin.ushakov: nu i chto chto budet? eto mozet i dolzno idti na fone
[2/28/2010 12:11:32 PM] alex dobrovolsky: ty soglasen s etim:"esli vdrug kogo-to net zadach, togda etot chelovek prosto perekluchaetsya na rabotu nad odnim iz "In House Projects"
[2/28/2010 12:11:54 PM] konstantin.ushakov: absolutno
[2/28/2010 12:12:03 PM] alex dobrovolsky: ok
[2/28/2010 12:12:39 PM] konstantin.ushakov: [Sunday, February 28, 2010 11:32 AM] konstantin.ushakov: i ya eschyo hochyu srazu dorogovorit'sya - developery ne pereklyuchayutsya s kompoonenta na kkomponent. planirivanie tak dolzno bit' postroeno, chto etogo ne bylo!

<<< a ty s etim soglasen?
[2/28/2010 12:16:26 PM] alex dobrovolsky: ya tebe dau pravo prinimat' eto reshenie; no menya volnuet chto u tebya ostanetsya slishkom mnogo komponentov, tebe nugno X% vremeni na management plus Solution Architecture; To est' my ved' peredaem Client ot Sashi to Dev 1, moget eshe chtoto ot tebya peredadim pomimo Reports to dev1 or dev2?
[2/28/2010 12:16:37 PM] alex dobrovolsky: kstati X=?
[2/28/2010 12:16:45 PM] alex dobrovolsky: 50%?
[2/28/2010 12:17:18 PM] alex dobrovolsky: i eshe vopros - hotim li my etu komandy takge ispol'zovat' dlya drugih proektov?
[2/28/2010 12:17:55 PM] konstantin.ushakov: ne znayu. vsyo poka slishkom nekonkretno - poetomu slozno skazat'. esli ya ne budu uspevat' - togda budu prinimat' reshenie
[2/28/2010 12:18:07 PM] alex dobrovolsky: ya dumau cho po krainei mere u tebya dolgno ostavat'sya chast' vremeni dlya togo chtob nachat' kakoi nibud' non-Jag proekt i potom nanyat' kogo-to pod nego
[2/28/2010 12:18:35 PM] alex dobrovolsky: a inache my zastrayanem na jaguare
[2/28/2010 12:18:47 PM] konstantin.ushakov: optimizaciyu struktury bazy nado delat' poskoree i eto budu delat' ya. vsyo stal'noe - eto ne tak uz slozno peredat' komu-to
[2/28/2010 12:20:14 PM] konstantin.ushakov: nu ya pro eto i govoryu, peredat' tol'ko v sluchae krayney neobhodimosti. chtoby zanyat'sya drugim proektom - eto prichina
[2/28/2010 12:22:58 PM] alex dobrovolsky: horosho, ya togda postaraus' vydavit' iz nih bol'she info po povodu vseh gryadushih zadach, hotya eto budet ne prosto, vpolne vozmogno chto mnogo ne dobavitsya k toi informacii chto ya tol'ko chto poslal
[2/28/2010 12:23:24 PM] konstantin.ushakov: ok
[2/28/2010 12:23:58 PM] alex dobrovolsky: i konechto ge oni neogidanno mogut podbrosit' chto to unexpected v luboi moment, naprimer tam vstretyatsya s klientom i on im chto to zakaget
[2/28/2010 12:27:38 PM] konstantin.ushakov: nu eto nichego
[2/28/2010 12:28:01 PM] alex dobrovolsky: ok
[2/28/2010 12:32:37 PM] alex dobrovolsky: togda skillset of those we intend to hire must be not associated with any partucular technology; nu to est' Java + RDBMS konechno + Web Dev background, nu a v ostal'nom - chelovek dolgen byt' takoi chto smoget osvoit' lubye frameworks esli nado; hotya konechno mogno byloby odnogo naprimer vzyat' bolee "front-end oriented" so est' kto to kto horosho ponimaet interfaces osobenno web 2.0, AJAX tipa frameworks; a vtorogo bolee "back end oriented" kto imel bol'sho opyt s bazoi, znaet podobnye Hibernate frameworks... kak ty dumaesh'?
[2/28/2010 12:42:15 PM] alex dobrovolsky: Kostya, u menya est' eshe odna radikal'naya ideya, can I call?
[2/28/2010 12:43:43 PM] konstantin.ushakov: davay cherez 30 min. mne nado otluchit'sya
[2/28/2010 12:43:56 PM] alex dobrovolsky: ok,
[2/28/2010 12:56:11 PM] alex dobrovolsky: ya prosto bous' chto nady by poprobovat' drugoi variant postanovki zadachi kogda skagem ya ili kto to eshe kak System Analyst beseduet s zakazchikom i vyasnyaet vse info svyazannoe s zadachei (example: Rates Module). Posle togo kak vsya informaciya sobrana - ponyatno chto oni hotyat (to automate rates updates through web based interface ) i  ponyatno kak oni seichas rabotaut (internal sales operator manually updates some kind of spreadsheet) Sys Analyst saditsya vmeste s 1-2 chelovekami iz dev team i brainstorm possible solution. V ideale esli modul'bol'shoi on dolgen priehat' v Kiev delat' eto tam. Potom stroitsya nekij prototype kotoryi otrabatyvaet osnovnye sluchai ili po krainei mere demonstriruet user interface (i mogno progovorit' main use cases slovami) i pokazyvaetsya zakazchiku. Zakazchik utvergdaet skagem s nekotorymi zamechaniyami.
[2/28/2010 1:05:13 PM] alex dobrovolsky: Eto v korne otlichaetsya ot togo kak my seichas rabotaem. My zdes' vse pridumyvaem, vse opisyvaem a vy delaete. To est' my ne podkluchaem vas k design phase, ne ispol'zuem vash potencial v etom otnoshenii, ne sobiraem vashi idei. V sluchae s malen'kimi kusochkami tipa pdf tak mogno, no v celom nugen brainstorming, dialog vkluchaushij sys analyst + developer + Senior Analyst (ya) + Senior Dev (ty), a v sluchae bol'shogo komponenta i drugih developerov mogno podkluchit' ved' u nih toge mogut vozniknut' interesnye a moget is super idei
[2/28/2010 1:44:22 PM] alex dobrovolsky: ty uge vernulsya?
[2/28/2010 1:51:13 PM] alex dobrovolsky: mne nugno idti poest', my mogem obsudit pozge? do skol'ki budesh' segodnya?
[2/28/2010 2:28:12 PM] konstantin.ushakov: [Sunday, February 28, 2010 12:56 PM] alex dobrovolsky: ya prosto bous' chto nady by poprobovat' drugoi variant postanovki zadachi kogda skagem ya ili kto to eshe kak System Analyst beseduet s zakazchikom i vyasnyaet vse info svyazannoe s zadachei (example: Rates Module). Posle togo kak vsya informaciya sobrana - ponyatno chto oni hotyat (to automate rates updates through web based interface ) i  ponyatno kak oni seichas rabotaut (internal sales operator manually updates some kind of spreadsheet) Sys Analyst saditsya vmeste s 1-2 chelovekami iz dev team i brainstorm possible solution. V ideale esli modul'bol'shoi on dolgen priehat' v Kiev delat' eto tam. Potom stroitsya nekij prototype kotoryi otrabatyvaet osnovnye sluchai ili po krainei mere demonstriruet user interface (i mogno progovorit' main use cases slovami) i pokazyvaetsya zakazchiku. Zakazchik utvergdaet skagem s nekotorymi zamechaniyami.
Eto v korne otlichaetsya ot togo kak my seichas rabotaem. My zdes' vse pridumyvaem, vse opisyvaem a vy delaete. To est' my ne podkluchaem vas k design phase, ne ispol'zuem vash potencial v etom otnoshenii, ne sobiraem vashi idei. V sluchae s malen'kimi kusochkami tipa pdf tak mogno, no v celom nugen brainstorming, dialog vkluchaushij sys analyst + developer + Senior Analyst (ya) + Senior Dev (ty), a v sluchae bol'shogo komponenta i drugih developerov mogno podkluchit' ved' u nih toge mogut vozniknut' interesnye a moget is super idei

<<< ya so vsem soglasen.
[2/28/2010 2:45:40 PM] alex dobrovolsky: ponyatno