My talk at a workshop for the 2nd generation of TSstartup.

1. Software Engineering in Startups
@dusano
TSstartup, 2013-04-04

2. mag. Dušan Omerčevid, UDI RI
VP of Engineering @zemanta
@dusano
dusan.omercevic@zemanta.com
http://restreaming.me

3. Outline
• Engineering in Startups
• Tools, Technology, and (a bit) of Process
Questions welcome anytime!

4. Engineering in Startups

5. TSstartup, 2nd generation

6. TSstartup, 2nd generation
• DROPMEDIA: Grafična vodna zavesa pretvarja računalniške
slike, vzorce in napise v vodne kreacije.
• FAST: Spletno orodje za ustvarjanje in objavljanje elektronskih
publikacij na tabličnih napravah ter pametnih telefonih.
• FACILITY: Making hotel management easy. .
• FOOD IO: Mobilna aplikacija za vodenje gospodinjske zaloge
brez tipkanja in opravljanje nakupov.
• CALLWITH.ME: VoIP platforma, ki spletnim uporabnikom
omogoča pogovore naravnost iz brskalnika.
• BEEZINGA: Analysis and early warning about events in
beehives allowing beekeepers production optimization and
saving bees.

7. TSstartup, 2nd generation
• NAYMIT: Uporabnik označi kraj na zemljevidu in ga
poimenuje. Kraj lahko potem kdor koli najde po imenu.
• EMOOWE: Socialno omrežje, kjer vrednotimo vsebine z vidika
čustev. Omogoča kvalitativno analizo spletnih vsebin.
• TEE.LT: - Večigralski realnočasovni kviz za mobilne naprave.
Preverjanje znanja z nagibom telefona.
• WELLIOO: Rešuje težavo načina rezervacije na termin vadbe
ter optimizira komunikacijo z uporabniki in zaposlenimi.
• SHOWMEAROUND: Spletna platforma, ki omogoča
domačinom, da turistom s podobnimi interesi ponudijo
zanimive aktivnosti v obiskanem kraju.

9. Technology -> Product -> $$$

10. $$$ -> Product -> Technology

11. Specs Product

12. Specs Product

13. Build the right product
vs.
build the product right?

14. Customer Discovery

15. Product Discovery

16. Product Discovery

17. Product Discovery

18. Product Discovery

19. Product Discovery

20. The Role of an Engineer in
Customer and Product
discovery

21. Build!

22. Measure!

23. Learn!

24. Great Companies build
Great Products

25. Courage
Respect
Communication
Commitment
Focus

27. Take Home Message
• The core business of startups is searching for a
repeatable and scalable business model, not
technology! [Steve Blank]
• You only get 1/3 of value of an engineer if you
use him/her just for engineering
• It's not about smart technology, it's about
using technology smartly

28. Tools & Technology
supporting customer and product
discovery

29. Coat Hangers & Chopsticks

30. Whiteboards

31. Trello

32. User testing
• User testing is the primary tool of customer
and product discovery
• Off-line is better
• On-line: Skype, GotoMeeting, Google
Hangouts
• Tape user interviews and share them with
everybody in the team

33. UserTesting.com

34. Google Analytics

35. Start Measuring on Day !

36. Measure Anything, Measure Everything
http://codeascraft.etsy.com/2011/02/15/measure-anything-measure-everything/

37. Continuous Deployment
• Make Deployment a non-event
• If something is painfull, do it more often until
the pain goes away!
• Ideal: the new employee should be able to
deploy on the first day!
• Prerequisite: Unittests & TDD
• Dark releases, Blue-green deployment, Canary
releasing

38. Process
supporting customer and product
discovery

39. PM 101
1. Product Owner & Product Backlog
2. Retrospectives
3. Team & Scrum master
4. Daily stand-up meeting & Demos
1. Iterations (Scrum & XP) or limited work-in-
progress (Kanban)

40. Programming in Startups
• Code is Liability
• Supporting Throw Away Software
• Don't be afraid of the if statement!
• Develop mainly in master branch
• Use feature toggles

41. Take Home Message
• “No facts exist inside the building, only
opinions” [Steve Blank]
• Measure Anything, Measure Everything
• It takes smart and hard working engineers not
only to build, but even more importantly to
measure and learn

43. Hvala!
@dusano
dusan.omercevic@zemanta.com
http://restreaming.me