Velocity & Viscosity: Train-wrecks and Ugly-Baby Meetings

Click here to watch Velocity & Viscosity: Train-wrecks and Ugly-Baby Meetings.

Drupal's great. But why is it so hard to have velocity but not viscosity around clients, dev teams and projects? This thrashing leaves many clients leaving Drupal and many Drupalers hating clients. Clients and projects drive Drupal and so let's develop better methodology for implementing world-class Drupal sites, have profitable dev shops and happy Drupal customers.

TRAIN-WRECKS FOR DEVELOPMENT: If you're losing money on projects, wishing the client's expectations were more realistic, burning out your team, have too many bugs and constant scope creep; this might be an interesting and valuable 50 minutes. Development shop margins are thin; but great process, training and client management make all the difference.

TRAIN-WRECKS FOR CLIENTS:If you're going into a project or have one already off the rails, this workshop will help develop a strategy for success. Learn how to prepare, document and go into a development project as a partner and collaborator.

EXCUSE ME, BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR BABY IS UGLY:This year, I've had no less than five of these uncomfortable and unfortunate conversations on a rescue project. Sometimes we're the second, third, fourth development team and no one has told the client the truth about their site, their own shortcomings as a client and why their project is failing. We'll discuss red flags, project containment and how to successfully triage a project back to health.

CLIENT CALAMATIES:Got stuck with a bad Drupal site? There's a better way to work with the development cycle. With some thoughtful planning around Client Wrangling, Project Wrangling, and Risk Assessment, projects can be successful.

LOSING VISCOSITY & GAINING VELOCITY: In this fun, collaborative and interactive session we'll share, dissect and discuss:

  1. what makes a good client
  2. homework for everyone
  3. what makes a good project
  4. plan, plan, plan, develop
  5. risk assessment, risk management
  6. calling a flag on the play, triage and pulling the plug
  7. minimum viable product
  8. agile, waterfall and hybrids
  9. downfall of design-driven development
  10. downfall of client-driven development
  11. the magic of matrices for everything

Drupal can be still be fun and clients can become great collaborative partners with just a little structure.

Much thanks to great friend, thinker, synthesizer and guru, Johnnie Fox (http://drupal.org/user/672052) who co-brainstormed this session several years ago.

Schedule info
Status: 
Accepted
Time slot: 
Thursday, May 23 - 02:15pm-03:15pm
Room: 
C 123 - Trellon
Session Info
Speaker(s): 
Track: 
Business + Strategy
Experience level: 
Intermediate

Comments

This session sounds great. I've inherited a number of rescue projects and they are challenging.

Thank you Kristen; let me know if there's something in particular you'd like to hear!

You had me at "ugly baby." As a former developer turned Marketing + Business Development Director ... early on I lacked the tact required to avoid calling the baby ugly. Although I'm getting better, I look forward to all your insight!!

So funny, early on I was super-nice and tactful. Now I'm older and borderline ruthless. We'd make a great team...! I try to make my sessions interactive so bring your questions and let's see if the room has some answers. Thanks for coming!

Susan

Watch this now! This one of the best sessions I have ever seen. One great idea after another, Pure Gold!

Hi Stew-bee, thanks! Glad you found it valuable. I'm working on part 2 now. More operations strategies to get those projects out the door with happy customers and great margin.