Agile isn't an excuse for sloppy project management or development

Those who have read 37Signals book: "Getting Real" should be well versed in what Agile Development is all about. Basically the theory you can do more with less is the easiest description I have of what Agile Development boils down to. I am warming up to the idea of a development process that is less linear, and more pliable to the demands of a fast paced on demand "Web 2.0" world.

That being said in a recent Dr Dobb's newsletter I read this article on the disciplines of development using Agile methodology.

Agile development: Get more done with less - "Get Real" by 37signals

I've just finshed reading the book "Get Real" by 37signals (developers of Basecamp) and i've got to saw its a fairly controversial and radical way to look at developing web 2.0 apps using the Agile development methodology.

My key take aways from the book are you can get more done with less. Less people (superstar developers), no meetings, no information architecture and no web farm to start. I recently met with a client of ours at Hanson Dodge Creative and talked with them about the shift from the web 1.0 brochureware "website" to the fire breathing always changing web 2.0 "web application". Already a developer of desktop applications, his final words where "welcome to the world of software development" which is so true.

Modern day web apps are complex with true object orientated programming and 3 tier architecture:

• Presentation Tier (XHTML, CSS, XSLT, Flash, AJAX)
• Logic Tier (.NET, Web Services, API)
• Data Tier (Database, XML

So yes todays web 2.0 application is becoming more complex to build, 37signals "Get Real" offers a different methodology and approach to breaking things down and building web apps using their Agile method from inception through completion. If you haven't read it already you can read it free, buy the pdf, or book at 37signals site.

Web App Project Management & Workflow Holy Grail? Part 1

Building web apps is getting harder and harder. When you build a desktop application whether it be for a PC or a Mac you know what the platform and environment allows. In this 2.0 age of web development where technologies change frequently based on industry demand, timelines get shorter and costs need to be controlled. It is becoming increasingly difficult to control and manage a project timeline and costs with so many moving parts.

I've done a lot of research on a software package that could control things from end to end. Call this the web development and project management holy grail? The following are some of the requirements I think an all encompassing solution needs:

• Permission granted access / user rights to system functionality
• Workflow Management (Interactive real-time)
• Assist with budgeting and estimating
• Document Management (Proposal, Strategy, Architecture, Sitemap, Wireframes, Concepts)
• Centralized Content Management / Data Warehousing
• Real-time Project Plans
• Milestones
• Team/Task Assignment (who's doing what)
• Versioning of project documents (Check in/Check out)
• Code Library / Shared Assets
• Group Communication and discussion / Feedback
• Bug Tracking (Tickets)
• Quality Assurance and Testing
• Deployment between environments
• Technical Infrastructure Management
• Source Code Protection
• Centralising Server Architecture (FTP/WebDAV etc)
• Faciliate Deployment - Pushing files/databases between environments (Staging/Production)

It must be said no amount of software no matter how good can fix a disfunctional environment with no process or guidlines in place, where team members are disfunctional and kaos rules. You've got to have a system in place before you can start refining it! So let assume you have a process and some guidlines but your projects are growing in size and scope and its time to move on from static project plans, excel documents and email... whats next? I will delve into some system options more in Part 2.