The percentage of software development projects that are driven by virtual teams is increasing at a staggering rate. Online marketplaces that specialize in finding and hiring freelancers, like Elance and oDesk, are experiencing exponential growth. But with this opportunity comes a problem in that over 50% of projects done by virutal teams fail. This presentation will guide you in the hiring and managing of virtual software development teams by taking you through the project delivery process from finding the perfect team to delivering on time and within budget.
2. Vincent Serpico
Founder / CEO, Spotlight Software
15+ years building software from developer to
VP Product Development to entrepreneur
Seth Weedin
Director of Marketing, Spotlight Software
Start-up and small business
marketing professional
www.spotlightppm.com
3. FACT!
50% -90% of software development projects FAIL!
www.spotlightppm.com
4. FACT!
Your project can succeed
with a bit of planning
and an organized process
of communication and accountability
www.spotlightppm.com
5. Who’s going to develop your software?
• Make sure to get this right.
• Developers are NOT commodities.
• Build a team that will last.
• It can take a new developer 3 – 9 months to ramp up on an existing app.
• Choose wisely.
www.spotlightppm.com
6. Hire a Virtual Developer Online
• Thousands of developers online
at Elance, oDesk, much more
• Much better chance to find the
right talent you need
• May locate developers at a very
favorable rate
www.spotlightppm.com
7. How to Hire a Developer
• Communicate your goals
• Describe what, not how
• Require a programming test
• Write and deliver an actual short program
• Will demonstrate his ambition, talent and communication skills
www.spotlightppm.com
8. Planning: It’s just common sense
• Would you build a house
without a blueprint?
• Would you drive in a new city
without directions or a map?
• Then WHY would you build
software without a clear plan??
www.spotlightppm.com
9. Planning: Wire-Frames & Use Cases
• Thinking your software through will
save time and money
• Provides everyone a clear vision
• Wire-frames graphically depict each
and every screen of your software,
including the flow (UI)
• Use cases textually describe the
human interaction (UX)
www.spotlightppm.com
10. Planning: Sprints, Stories and Tasks
Sprints are predetermined Stories describe a feature of Tasks are the actual
timeframes to accomplish your software, like ‘User programming tasks
1 or more “Stories” Registration’ assigned to developers to
complete a story
Plan your Sprints and Stories in advance so that you have a good idea of the
length of your project, and every knows what coming down the pike
www.spotlightppm.com
11. Executing
Keep everyone on the team communicating and accountable
1. Daily meetings (“scrums” or “stand-ups”)
2. Regular status updates
3. Daily progress reports
www.spotlightppm.com
12. Executing: Daily 15-Minute Meetings
• Daily team meeting
(“scrum” / “stand-up”)
(Everyone on the team)
• 15-minutes (no longer)
• High-Level
(detailed meetings should be another time)
Each team members answers 3 questions:
1. What did I accomplish yesterday?
2. What will I accomplish today?
3. Are there any obstacles blocking my goals?
www.spotlightppm.com
13. Executing: Regular Status Updates
• Email (or other means of
communication) sent to all 3-5
times per day
• Keeps everyone up-to-date on
what everyone else is doing
• Most importantly, keeps
everyone talking to each other!
Status Updates should include:
1. What are you working on?
2. How’s your progress, and are there any issues?
3. Your availability (when you are online, offline, away, etc.)
www.spotlightppm.com
14. Executing: Daily Progress Reports
• Sent by every team
member at end of each
day to team member’s
direct superior
• Great way to prepare for
the next day!
Daily Progress Report should include:
1. What did you accomplish today?
2. What will you accomplish tomorrow?
3. Any issues?
www.spotlightppm.com
15. The Lean + Agile Cycle
Execute planned sprint using
Review the
daily meetings, status updates,
results of
and daily progress reports
the sprint
Plan the next sprint, and adjust course if necessary
Deliver your software!
www.spotlightppm.com
Is this statistic accurate without the term “remote” in it? Like I know we usually tell people that 50% - 90% of software projects done remotely fail[Vincent: May be a little high… but the success rate of software development projects in general is low.]
Change the word You to “Your”[Vincent: Done.]
I don’t think you need to add anything to the slide, but just make sure to explain what sprints and stories are since some of the audience probably won’t know what they mean.[Vincent: Will do.]
From your comment in the email, maybe just add an extra arrow coming down from “The Lean + Agile Cycle” and turning to the right to point to “Execute planned Sprint…” This would show it’s the first step in the process moving in a clockwise direction.[Vincent: How do it look?]