Crafting Code Podcast

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~/podcast/episodes/002-rescuing-a-failing-project $ ls -1a

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Failing projects are the bane of a software developer. In this episode, we discuss how principles of crafting software can rescue a failing project. Whether the problem is rooted in the code, the team, or the system, we can improve our feedback loops, make small but significant improvements, and focus on finishing instead of starting. Slowly but surely, the project can turn around.

Timestamps

[00:00:00] Host introductions. What is a failing project and how do you recognize one?

[00:05:32] What aspects of a project lead to failure? Is it a code problem? A people problem?

[00:15:01] How do you rescue a failing project? Improve feedback, automate, and collaborate.

[00:21:20] Reasons for failure: code, team, or the system. Work together against the problem instead of working against each other.

[00:23:40] Continuous integration enables testing. Testing brings confidence to refactor.

[00:31:30] Refactor or rewrite? What has changed that will lead to success this time?

[00:36:42] Where do you start in order to fix the failing project? Measure to learn where your bottlenecks are and focus on them. Find a mentor who can give you specific help.

[00:46:40] Tooling is easier than ever to get up and running. Start small.

[00:50:51] Examine metrics from the Accelerate book. Using lean principles to limit work in process and affect the people aspect of the project.

[00:58:24] Focus on finishing, not starting. Finishing things, not just starting things. A full freeway doesn't move.

[01:04:16] What is the one thing that will make a difference to the business? Making work visible can help you identify the problems.

[01:07:12] Professionalism and steadily delivering value are how this relates back to crafting code.

[01:11:46] Outro

Books mentioned during this episode:

Accelerate: Building and Scaling High-Performing Technology Organizations by Nicole Forsgren, Jez Humble, and Gene Kim
Making Work Visible: Exposing Time Theft to Optimize Work & Flow by Dominica Degrandis