Stature Software

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The Most Important Project Manager Skill?

July 24th, 2008 by Gregory Silvano Posted in Software Development | 1 Comment »

For the past few days, I’ve been working closely with Stature’s newest hire, Mike Bykow.  He’s a Project Manager at Stature and is handling several projects for us.

As I was driving him back to South Station yesterday, I listed all the things I think are important for a Project Manager at Stature (or anywhere, for that matter).  I mentioned the obvious things, like: communicating with the clients, making sure you understand every facet of the application, keep in touch with the developers frequently so you’re on top of schedule slips, etc.

But then I told him something that, the more I expanded on the idea, I realized it was the most important skill of all.  I told him he needs to learn to finish the project.

Software projects can go on forever.  Literally.  They can be tweaked and tweaked for months on end.  This is beneficial to no one, but especially for a company like Stature.  We need to finish projects to maintain profit since nearly all of our projects are fixed-price and we don’t issue change orders (see our 3 Guarantees).  So to have a project run over by a month is a big deal for us since we can’t recoup those costs.  Software Projects don’t end naturally - they need to told to end. 

If I were a Project Manager, I’d want to be known as The Closer.  The guy who wraps up his projects on time, on budget, and to spec.  If another project is running past schedule, I want to be the guy they bring in to restore order and get the project done.

In the coming weeks, I want to expand on this topic and discuss the tricks we’ve learned over the years that allow us to close a project.  It’s something you learn through experience and observation, and I think with just a few high-level rules any Project Manager can become The Closer.

 Tags: project management

The Hard Button

June 30th, 2008 by Gregory Silvano Posted in Software Development | No Comments »

So, Staples made millions on the “Easy Button” idea.  Just push a button and it’s done.  Easy.  Sort of like my favorite UI line, where the users just want a big button in the middle of the screen that says “Do it”.

I think Toys R Us watched those Staples commercials and thought “you know, I think they’re on to something there.  We should do the exact opposite.”

I went to Toys R Us to buy my daughter a tot-friendly camera.  I found the Fisher Price Kid-Tough Waterproof Camera, grabbed it, and went to check out.  Here’s the conversation (no exaggeration at all):

Clerk: May I have your phone number?

Me: I’d rather not.

Clerk: Sure, no problem.  That’s $52.49.

Clerk: We offer a replacement plan for only $4.99, where we’ll replace it if…

Me: No, I’m all set, thank you.

Clerk: OK, no problem.  We have a special on AAA batteries.  Would you like to buy a 12 pack…

Me: No, I’m all set, thank you.

Clerk. OK, no problem.  Would you like to get 10% off by opening our credit card…

Me: No, I’m all set, thank you.

Really – that’s how long it took to get out of the store.  The clerk was very nice, don’t get me wrong.  And he wasn’t pushy or rude.  But talk about the anti-easy button.  I think the corporate office needs to seriously rethink its checkout procedure.

Sadly, I’m sure I’ve designed and written software that behaves just as poorly.  We’ve all used bad software, and the problem is that unlike my once-a-year trip to Toys R Us, poorly designed software gets in our way dozens of times a day, over and over and over.

It’s a great camera, by the way.  The batteries don’t last very long and the display is a little slow to render, but she loves it.

 Tags: design, easy