Technical management debts
Hello dear community.
I would like to share with you observations and some recipes regarding the business of creating websites. If you are interested, ready for a whole series of articles.
I would like to make a review of the management part of the process, and perhaps those who are beginning to comprehend this niche, my experience would be useful.
To solve the equation, let's define its components.
In stock:
1. A ready-made business that is not shaky is not shaky, but it works. (The concept of working means functioning, and we, so far, do not ask ourselves a question of efficiency, about it below).
2. There is a team of specialists, let's say not so far "dreamy", but not the worst offer on the market, the tasks are carried out, and this is the main criterion.
3. That is not unimportant, we have customers, and suppose that they are more than enough.
It would seem to divide and conquer! Here it is a business, almost effective, but as it often happens there is one nuance ...
We are extremely often taught at various trainings, seminars, conferences, books, courses, and so on - the client is almost always right. This is the most - not everyone can feel, and in order to increase customer loyalty, go to many, many concessions. And business, everything is not going, and the work (operating) becomes more and more and more.
With a large flow of orders and no knowledge of the sales team about the loading of the team (s), we can have a very nasty picture. It is called Technical Debts .
What it is? This is when, suppose, a project exists, it has already been paid on prepayment immediately or partially, and “quite suddenly”, almost like a bolt from the blue, the client disappears. It is unavailable. Not at all. Neither by telephone, nor by letter, nor in any way was it - it simply does not exist on this planet. And the stage - when it is needed for the coordination or adoption of the work / stage. It would seem, well, figs with him, right? He paid the money, it means that he is not going anywhere, and this moment plays an extremely cruel joke with many of us. He does not go anywhere, in this, at 90% (statistics of personal experience) you are right. But he will rise, and will be the so-called "zombie client." This is when he appears after six months, and what he did and where they really stayed no one remembers. And he appears not just like that, but wants to eat. Your brains. Just kidding of course, he just remembered the site that you created, and finally wants to get it, but the outlook / understanding of the need could change. And he has other tasks at all. But that's not the point. Everything can be explained, communicated, and in the extreme case of a supplement, well, or play with loyalty. The point is quite different. You didn’t stand still these half a year, and the programmer / designer / backendan may not work in your company, and the tasks have long since sunk into oblivion from your favorite task management system. And then, you now have existing clients that you are working on right now. You ultimately have financial planning, a total monthly budget, and the next month, too, and you don’t have to deal with this zombie at all. This is where many of us fall into the pit of technical debt. Here the principle of the dam, which burst. With small groups (actually broadcasting for them), it is impossible to reallocate resources quickly and competently, to sit down on the bench, and eat fish as well.
See for yourself. You have several projects at work at the same time, and this, in general, suits everyone. And you - the money goes a good flow, and the team - projects are interesting, and your own favorite client - everything is done as it should, and on time. And you cannot stop any of the existing projects, and you cannot stop a zombie - it can legitimately require its website. Trouble And we immediately begin to overload the team, sawing everything day and night, then the client starts editing and whistling, because half a year ago the TK was different, and he seemed to pay for the changes and changes, but it’s incommensurable with how much for delays of another project, you are like a company. And what to do?
')
Should be guided directly by three dogmas.
If you do not solve the issue of technical debt quickly - you will solve it very, very long time, and each new project will push the old one to this level. And the team will work forever in time trouble mode.
On the other hand, it would seem, agree with the client, and rejoice. But no. Not everyone makes concessions, as they and they can have everything on fire right now - they need a website like water to fish. And they can't wait either. Brad of course, I agree, but unfortunately it takes place very often. There are many ways to solve this problem, but unfortunately only a few of them work effectively. One of them, I tried to describe.
Finally, I will give a few recommendations
Thank you for reading and good luck. Do not make debts. Technical especially.
I would like to share with you observations and some recipes regarding the business of creating websites. If you are interested, ready for a whole series of articles.
I would like to make a review of the management part of the process, and perhaps those who are beginning to comprehend this niche, my experience would be useful.
So start.
To solve the equation, let's define its components.
In stock:
1. A ready-made business that is not shaky is not shaky, but it works. (The concept of working means functioning, and we, so far, do not ask ourselves a question of efficiency, about it below).
2. There is a team of specialists, let's say not so far "dreamy", but not the worst offer on the market, the tasks are carried out, and this is the main criterion.
3. That is not unimportant, we have customers, and suppose that they are more than enough.
It would seem to divide and conquer! Here it is a business, almost effective, but as it often happens there is one nuance ...
We are extremely often taught at various trainings, seminars, conferences, books, courses, and so on - the client is almost always right. This is the most - not everyone can feel, and in order to increase customer loyalty, go to many, many concessions. And business, everything is not going, and the work (operating) becomes more and more and more.
Welcome to Hell.
With a large flow of orders and no knowledge of the sales team about the loading of the team (s), we can have a very nasty picture. It is called Technical Debts .
What it is? This is when, suppose, a project exists, it has already been paid on prepayment immediately or partially, and “quite suddenly”, almost like a bolt from the blue, the client disappears. It is unavailable. Not at all. Neither by telephone, nor by letter, nor in any way was it - it simply does not exist on this planet. And the stage - when it is needed for the coordination or adoption of the work / stage. It would seem, well, figs with him, right? He paid the money, it means that he is not going anywhere, and this moment plays an extremely cruel joke with many of us. He does not go anywhere, in this, at 90% (statistics of personal experience) you are right. But he will rise, and will be the so-called "zombie client." This is when he appears after six months, and what he did and where they really stayed no one remembers. And he appears not just like that, but wants to eat. Your brains. Just kidding of course, he just remembered the site that you created, and finally wants to get it, but the outlook / understanding of the need could change. And he has other tasks at all. But that's not the point. Everything can be explained, communicated, and in the extreme case of a supplement, well, or play with loyalty. The point is quite different. You didn’t stand still these half a year, and the programmer / designer / backendan may not work in your company, and the tasks have long since sunk into oblivion from your favorite task management system. And then, you now have existing clients that you are working on right now. You ultimately have financial planning, a total monthly budget, and the next month, too, and you don’t have to deal with this zombie at all. This is where many of us fall into the pit of technical debt. Here the principle of the dam, which burst. With small groups (actually broadcasting for them), it is impossible to reallocate resources quickly and competently, to sit down on the bench, and eat fish as well.
See for yourself. You have several projects at work at the same time, and this, in general, suits everyone. And you - the money goes a good flow, and the team - projects are interesting, and your own favorite client - everything is done as it should, and on time. And you cannot stop any of the existing projects, and you cannot stop a zombie - it can legitimately require its website. Trouble And we immediately begin to overload the team, sawing everything day and night, then the client starts editing and whistling, because half a year ago the TK was different, and he seemed to pay for the changes and changes, but it’s incommensurable with how much for delays of another project, you are like a company. And what to do?
')
The clue, or recipe forever youth
Should be guided directly by three dogmas.
- Zombies have been and will be. Need a plan B.
- Do not try the forces of the existing loaded team to resolve this issue. But it needs to be addressed urgently, otherwise there will be trouble for half a year exactly.
- Give to freelancing or any other force, just not the main team - this is generally a logical way out. Believe me, it is better to lose a little bit of money on paying freelancers than to sink in technical debts.
If you do not solve the issue of technical debt quickly - you will solve it very, very long time, and each new project will push the old one to this level. And the team will work forever in time trouble mode.
On the other hand, it would seem, agree with the client, and rejoice. But no. Not everyone makes concessions, as they and they can have everything on fire right now - they need a website like water to fish. And they can't wait either. Brad of course, I agree, but unfortunately it takes place very often. There are many ways to solve this problem, but unfortunately only a few of them work effectively. One of them, I tried to describe.
Finally, I will give a few recommendations
- Create a database of documents for a specific project and keep them up to date.
- Kick managers or remember yourself that transactions should not only be opened, but also closed.
- Take into account these risks in the contract with each client, not only from the prolongation of terms at his expense in such situations, but also the protection of your own business processes.
Thank you for reading and good luck. Do not make debts. Technical especially.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/190166/
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