PLANNING AND MANAGING PLANNING AND MANAGING DRUPAL PROJECTSDRUPAL PROJECTS

Software Freedom DaySoftware Freedom DayFar Eastern University ManilaFar Eastern University Manila

Ivan James A. FermanejoIvan James A. Fermanejo

Agenda:Agenda:

The Role of LimitationsThe Role of Limitations

Putting Down Your Concept On PaperPutting Down Your Concept On Paper

Project Management Methodologies and Project Management Methodologies and DrupalDrupal

Taking the Lifecycle into Account on PaperTaking the Lifecycle into Account on Paper

Project Manager Tasks Beyond DevelopmentProject Manager Tasks Beyond Development

Othe Task for Project ManagerOthe Task for Project Manager

WHO AM I?WHO AM I?

Role of LimitationsRole of Limitations““It's not what you start in life, it's what you It's not what you start in life, it's what you finish”finish”

-- Katherine HepburnKatherine Hepburn

Limitations are necessary thing to be aware of Limitations are necessary thing to be aware of when you're planning a project.when you're planning a project.

Set the expectation right.Set the expectation right.

Know much time you have to devote to project Know much time you have to devote to project is the first step.is the first step.

Puting Down Your Concept on PaperPuting Down Your Concept on Paper

Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of difficulty:Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of difficulty:

1. 1. is “I have an idea for a web site, but I haven’t totally is “I have an idea for a web site, but I haven’t totally decided on the concept”.decided on the concept”.

Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of difficulty: (cont...)difficulty: (cont...)

2. is “I have an outline of what this web site is, and I might 2. is “I have an outline of what this web site is, and I might have an idea of what the title is. I have a domain name have an idea of what the title is. I have a domain name registered.”registered.”

Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of difficulty: (cont...)difficulty: (cont...)

3. is “I already have a site that I built a long time ago in 3. is “I already have a site that I built a long time ago in Dreamweaver / Frontpage,but I can get the content out Dreamweaver / Frontpage,but I can get the content out in straight text files. I don’t want to improve it this in straight text files. I don’t want to improve it this week, week, but I’d like to migrate to a new site.” but I’d like to migrate to a new site.”

Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of difficulty: (cont...)difficulty: (cont...)

4. is “I built my site a long time ago, and it has a lot of 4. is “I built my site a long time ago, and it has a lot of content that I want to move,content that I want to move,like a photo gallery or all of like a photo gallery or all of my blog posts going back to 2001.”my blog posts going back to 2001.”

Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of difficulty: (cont...)difficulty: (cont...)

5. 5. is “I have a site that I need to migrate, and it had a is “I have a site that I need to migrate, and it had a custom design. I’d like to custom design. I’d like to recreate that in this new recreate that in this new system.” system.”

Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of difficulty: (cont...)difficulty: (cont...)

6. is “I have an idea for a new community site, I’m going 6. is “I have an idea for a new community site, I’m going to have some users, and I’ll start with some content.” to have some users, and I’ll start with some content.”

Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of difficulty: (cont...)difficulty: (cont...)

7. is “I want a new community site. I have lots of content 7. is “I want a new community site. I have lots of content that needs to be served dynamically, I’m going to have a that needs to be served dynamically, I’m going to have a lot of users, and I want them to be able to do six different lot of users, and I want them to be able to do six different things to communicate with each other. “ things to communicate with each other. “

Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of difficulty: (cont...)difficulty: (cont...)

8. is “I have a community site already. I’d like to move 8. is “I have a community site already. I’d like to move over all of the content that I have now. I’d like to move over all of the content that I have now. I’d like to move over all of the users that I have now. Also, I want to add over all of the users that I have now. Also, I want to add mapping, geolocation, feeds from different sites, and mapping, geolocation, feeds from different sites, and private messaging.” private messaging.”

Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of difficulty: (cont...)difficulty: (cont...)

9. is “I have three different sites that I want to move over to Drupal. 9. is “I have three different sites that I want to move over to Drupal. They all need to work with the users I have now, but I don’t want to They all need to work with the users I have now, but I don’t want to change any of the passwords. Users are going to be able to change any of the passwords. Users are going to be able to interact with each other in 10 different ways. I have a lot of content interact with each other in 10 different ways. I have a lot of content now, but I don’t want to move over all of it, so I need to decide now, but I don’t want to move over all of it, so I need to decide what to move and what needs to be recreated in the new site. I’m what to move and what needs to be recreated in the new site. I’m also tired of my current design, so I want to do something new.”also tired of my current design, so I want to do something new.”

Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of Here’s what I think of as the 1 to 10 scale of difficulty: (cont...)difficulty: (cont...)

10. is the same as number 9, with the addition of 10. is the same as number 9, with the addition of “I need it to happen in three weeks. Or maybe “I need it to happen in three weeks. Or maybe tomorrow. Can I build this today?” tomorrow. Can I build this today?”

Lifecycle of A ProjectLifecycle of A Project

Step 1: DiscoveryStep 1: Discovery

● What do I want? What do I want? ● What does it need to do? What does it need to do? ● What does it look like? What does it look like? ● Who’s participating in this project? Who’s participating in this project? ● Who are the decision makers?Who are the decision makers?

Product of Discovery is a Product of Discovery is a PROJECT PLANPROJECT PLAN

Step 2: Information ArchitectureStep 2: Information Architecture

Step 3 - DesignStep 3 - Design

Step 4 - Development and Step 4 - Development and ImplementationImplementation

5. Content5. Content

6. Deployment/Launch 6. Deployment/Launch

7. Maintenance 7. Maintenance

Project Management Methodologies and DrupalProject Management Methodologies and Drupal Drupal Tasks That Use

WaterfallDrupal Tasks That Use

Agile

Discovery Documenting the project plan, timeline planning

Brainstorming

Information Architecture Functional requirements Wireframes

Design (Very little about design work fits with waterfall)

Creating design layouts

Development Only on a high level matching of functional requirements

Building out all of the features in asite, creating the site.

Content Staging Deciding which content is added

Active work works best in sprints

Quality Assurance Matching with functional requirements

Not as effective

Deployment/Launch Checklists for launch Not as effective

Maintenance No methodology preference No methodology preference

Taking the Lifecycle into Account on Taking the Lifecycle into Account on PaperPaper

Why you are building this?Why you are building this?

What it’s going to do?What it’s going to do?

When will each stage of the cycle be complete?When will each stage of the cycle be complete?

When did they need to be completed?When did they need to be completed?

What needs to happen within each phase?What needs to happen within each phase?

Who’s going to do this? Who’s going to do this?

What’s a Project Plan? What’s a Project Plan? is a document that speaks to the purpose and is a document that speaks to the purpose and methods of a project.methods of a project.

It defines what’s at stake in the project, who the main It defines what’s at stake in the project, who the main stakeholders are, the scope of the timeline and the stakeholders are, the scope of the timeline and the outcomes of the project.outcomes of the project.

It also breaks down what happens in what order and It also breaks down what happens in what order and who’s both responsible and involved for each phase.who’s both responsible and involved for each phase.

It is a client-facing document because it’sdesigned to It is a client-facing document because it’sdesigned to create alignment between everyone involved.create alignment between everyone involved.

Project Manager Tasks Beyond Project Manager Tasks Beyond Development Development

Kickoff MeetingsKickoff Meetings

Discovery Meetings Discovery Meetings

Information Architecture/Design MeetingsInformation Architecture/Design Meetings

Development Meetings Development Meetings

Checkins Checkins

Milestone Closing MeetingsMilestone Closing Meetings

Launch MeetingsLaunch Meetings

Post-Project DebriefsPost-Project Debriefs

Kickof MeetingsKickof Meetings

What are we building?What are we building?

Who will be working on it?Who will be working on it?

Who’s responsible for which part?Who’s responsible for which part?

What’s the project cost?What’s the project cost?

When will it be done by?When will it be done by?

Bonus question: What’s driving this project?Bonus question: What’s driving this project?

Discovery Meetings Discovery Meetings

What are some other sites you like?What are some other sites you like?

What features do they have?What features do they have?

What do you not like?What do you not like?

What message do you want to convey through design about What message do you want to convey through design about your site?your site?

What are some examples of this that you’ve seen on the Web?What are some examples of this that you’ve seen on the Web?

Information Architecture/Design Information Architecture/Design Meetings Meetings

Is everything where it’s supposed to be?Is everything where it’s supposed to be?

What’s missing?What’s missing?

Out of these three designs, what elements do you like best?Out of these three designs, what elements do you like best?

Is this the final design, or do we need another round of Is this the final design, or do we need another round of revisions? Based on the estimates, we’re X dollars through the revisions? Based on the estimates, we’re X dollars through the design phase. Adding another round of designs will increase design phase. Adding another round of designs will increase the budget of the entire project by Y. Is this something that you the budget of the entire project by Y. Is this something that you want to do? want to do?

Development MeetingsDevelopment MeetingsWhat am I working on?What am I working on?

What’s next?What’s next?

What things will be/are a blocker? What things will be/are a blocker?

CheckinsCheckins

This is what we are working on.This is what we are working on.

This is what’s coming nextThis is what’s coming next

What do we need your help on?What do we need your help on?

How’s your content coming?How’s your content coming?

Milestone Closing Meetings Milestone Closing Meetings Here are all of the tickets we closed in this project.Here are all of the tickets we closed in this project.

Here’s where this is on the development site. Here’s where this is on the development site.

Does this need to be added to the next phase, or is this Does this need to be added to the next phase, or is this complete?complete?

If we change this, it will add X amount of time to the project. Is If we change this, it will add X amount of time to the project. Is this OK, or what else needs to be dropped to make this this OK, or what else needs to be dropped to make this happen?happen?

Launch MeetingsLaunch Meetings

Everything is done according to what we talked about before.Everything is done according to what we talked about before.

What small changes need to be made?What small changes need to be made?

All of our content is here accurately.All of our content is here accurately.

We’ve tested our work on the production site and we’re ready We’ve tested our work on the production site and we’re ready to take this project live.to take this project live.

Post-Project Debriefs Post-Project Debriefs

This is usually an internal design/development/project This is usually an internal design/development/project management meeting because candid feedback is the main management meeting because candid feedback is the main goal of this meeting. goal of this meeting.

Other Tasks for Project ManagersOther Tasks for Project Managers

Creating User Stories Creating User Stories

Implementing Tasks and Task Workflow Tasks That Make up Implementing Tasks and Task Workflow Tasks That Make up MilestonesMilestones

Tasks That Make up MilestonesTasks That Make up Milestones

Bad DaysBad Days

ResourcesResources

BookBook

A Definitive Guide to Drupal 7, B. Melancon et. al., ApressA Definitive Guide to Drupal 7, B. Melancon et. al., Apress

Images Images

various web pages searched in Googlevarious web pages searched in Google

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

Thank you!Thank you!

ivanfermanejo@aol.comivanfermanejo@aol.com / / admin@drupalpilipinas.orgadmin@drupalpilipinas.org

+63917-851-1746+63917-851-1746