As some might say, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat”, or as the infamous Perl motto goes; “There’s more than one way to do it“. Almost all problems have more than one solution – some more obvious than others. To continue the theme, if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Whether you’re dealing with new technologies, or reliable and known systems, there are some core protocols and designs put in place for good reason. Of course these can be challenged (and rightly so), but understanding the reason for them is key.
This continues all the way from the tools used in coding and development, to top-level business oversight and planning. Not knowing what might come next can cause real concerns and stress with timescales, and impact directly on employees and profits.
concept ⇒ assessment ⇒ planning ⇒ execution ⇒ review ⇒ optimise
Many planning agencies use complex jargon and terms, ending up in piles of Gantt Charts and even resulting in weekly sprint retrospectives – sometimes much time wasted in project management, whilst forgetting the focus. Most plans can fit within a simple set of procedures; concepting the idea is often inherent to the project, assessing and deciding its’ feasibility, before finally planning, execution and review.
The key stage to this is planning – not necessarily knowing the end result; you can’t decorate a house before having the foundations – but having a solid base is essential to a good final result. Even basic decisions, such as data structure and procedure optimisation will help make further decisions. Data structures should be hierarchical and based on use. Procedures should make best use of resources. Sufficient time should be planned for employee training, and enough time given to carry out switchovers and testing.
Often, the best way to handle so many tasks is through experience. A wide variety of skills and knowledge is the best way to solve any problem, especially whilst researching options. Once you’re aware of all the available tools and possibilities, can you make a fully-informed decision.