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Decluttering your Software Development Process

Decluttering your Software Development Process. Michael Smith michael@teratech.com TeraTech, Inc. Speaker Information. Michael Smith michael@teratech.com Founder and CEO TeraTech (CF and Flex web application development, server tuning load testing, security audits)

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Decluttering your Software Development Process

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  1. Decluttering your Software Development Process Michael Smith michael@teratech.com TeraTech, Inc.

  2. Speaker Information Michael Smith michael@teratech.com • Founder and CEO TeraTech (CF and Flex web application development, server tuning load testing, security audits) • Founder of CFUNITED conference (in 11th year) • Programming for 30 years

  3. Why Declutter? • Less stress • More energy • More productive • Easier to think clearly • Better focus • Fewer bugs, easier to spot, easier to fix • Reduced maintenance time • 80/20 results • Happier developers, clients and managers

  4. 80/20 Principle

  5. What to declutter • Code • Design • Database • Communications • Clients • Environment

  6. What is clutter? • Distractions • Unused stuff • Stuff you don’t love to see around • Stuff not in its place • Stuff without a place!

  7. Things that distract • Phone calls • Incomplete tasks • Email • Bugs • Time pressure • Poor organization

  8. How to declutter • Recognize you have clutter • Get support • Value - Do I love it or use? • Have a system • Have a place for everything • Habit - Close open cycles • Be Smart lazy - think less about non essential items • Let go “someday it will be useful”

  9. What is code clutter? • Not usable or used code • Out of date code • not elegant (easy to read, understand and maintain) • Out of date comments • Hard to remember or spell variable names • Not following coding standards • Unfinished tasks • Inconsistent

  10. Decluttering your code • Use a readable coding style and format • Prune unnecessary or out of date comments • Simplify unclear code • Refactor duplicate code • Use source control • Remove unused files from directories

  11. Decluttering Slow code and crashing servers • Profile code and only optimize the slow stuff • Load test code before releasing • Keep error logs clear

  12. Better Naming • For directories, files, modules, variables • Rename difficult to remember variable names • Naming of modules easy to understand without opening file • Naming for what is done, not how it is implemented • Follow a naming system

  13. Decluttering bugs • Research • google, blogs, community, open source • Isolate bugs to a few lines • Keeping code to one screen full – code collapse • KISS • Take a break, nap, walk, shower

  14. What is design clutter? • Too many features - loose sight of the big picture • Scope out of control • Screens cluttered

  15. Decluttering your design • Clear shared vision • Change control • Usability

  16. What is database clutter? • Unused tables, fields, data, SPs • Cryptic names • Duplicate data • Unmanaged log files • Slow queries

  17. Decluttering your database • Better names • Remove unused tables, fields and SPs • Normalize to reduce duplicate data • Use triggers to update duplicate data you need to keep. • Create maintenance plans • Review index use

  18. What is client clutter? • Poor communication • Unclear • Emotionally abusive • Understand the software development process

  19. Decluttering clients • Score client profitability and fit • Let go the bottom 10% • Train the other 90% • Set clear expectations

  20. Personal decluttering • What is your Personal best Time of day? • Write down thoughts instead of worrying about them in background • (Limited amount of items in human mind at one time) • Single tasking • Plan short term objectives

  21. Decluttering communication • Incomplete communication • Other programmers mean extra communication and coordination • Coworkers who understand your thought process – shared vision and metaphors of project • Written vision • Resolve issue by phone or F2F • Document resolution in email

  22. Decluttering your environment • Desk • Inbox, filing system • Distractions • Phone, DND, work from home • Email • Turn off email notification • Empty inbox – GTD • Computer – software, fixes

  23. Resources • “The 80 / 20 Principle” by Richard Koch • “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Timothy Ferriss • “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael E. Gerber • “Getting Things Done” by David Allen • “Enough Already” by Peter Walsh • www.43folders.com/ • http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/80-20principle.html

  24. Questions • Ask me now or email or phone me later michael@teratech.com 301-424-3903 x110

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