How to choose a good system development project The business approach (The Veeps) The developer’s approach (The Geeks)

2 Assumptions V alid for both geeks and would-be veeps You are still getting established in your career You have been around long enough to know what’s going on in your employer’s or client’s business You are motivated to take the lead and take more responsibility You are willing to commit extra time to your career to get ahead

3 Good projects tackle “good” problems Choose a problem that everyone will be happy to see go away. Far from being obvious, this is difficult and subtle. “It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new system. For the reformer has enemies in all those who profit by the old system, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new.” Niccolo Machiavelli, 1513

4 Identify prospective projects Business approach 1.Investigate procedures or muddles that are making people crazy 2.Identify irritants (symptoms of problems) 3.Isolate underlying problems from symptoms 4.Can the problem be clearly defined? If not, keep searching The geek approach 1.Choose a technology that interests you 2.Choose one that is out of beta test but that hasn’t been put to good use in “your” business 3.Identify the kinds of problems that can be addressed with your targeted technology 4.Do steps 1-4 of the business approach

5 Identify a good problem Business approach 5.Is the problem you’ve identified a candidate for a tech “fix”? Get a good geek’s opinion, then, for the proposed tech solution, you do the homework. The geek approach 5. Is this problem right for your chosen technology? Do your homework. Find “best practices” and “lessons learned” from early adopters in a similar situation.

6 Choose a problem to tackle business geek or computer geek 6.Find out if anyone else is working on your targeted problem. Do you want to work with/for them? Can you learn a lot from them? Remember the words of Billie Holiday, “God bless the child who’s got his own” (career-making project, that is)