How to break down a huge project into manageable parts
Recorded – watch the full episode on YouTube.
What is your advice for someone who wants to start a big project?
Ish Shabazz: Honestly, to break it down into smaller steps – that's really the key. Even before I realized that in CS we use story points and similar, as well as user stories with UX, I always thought of things as stories. So here's a person, they're going to go on this journey, but there's a step to every journey. What are the steps? They'll kind of follow that. I'm going to do this step, make sure this step is going great. I'm going to do the next step. They just do it a little bit at a time. Yeah. It's almost like the Tao Te Ching – a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So you basically figure out here's the destination I want to get to, what are the steps? And just take a step and then another step and another step.
"I really like the idea of a minimal, lovable product, because you get the smallest thing you can make that you like and enjoy using.
Paul Hudson: And in fact, that applies to so many things in life I've found. I remember years ago, I had to go on managerial training. To manage a team you have to go on managerial training in my company. And they were taught that there were two ways of setting goals for your team, or your company, or your product. One is the Olympic high jump method, where you try to jump 1.8 meters, then 1.85, then 1.9, 1.95. 2.0, and so on – upping an increment each time. In business, that is doing you did last year plus some more. And then the other method is setting a target then figuring out how to get there – deciding your ultimate goal, then working towards that.
"If you set your actual goal up front, this is what I plan to make, and then break it down, you'll do better."
And you're absolutely right. If you set your actual goal up front, then break it down, you'll do better. As opposed to this kind of trendy thing we have of minimum viable product – we ship something, some of it kind of works, maybe does a bit of thing, but doesn't really come to life.
Ish Shabazz: Right. I really like the idea of a minimal, lovable product, because you get the smallest thing you can make that you like and enjoy using. This is doing what I need it to do, and it also has a feeling of satisfaction behind it too.
This transcript was recorded as part of Swiftly Speaking. You can watch the full original episode on YouTube, or subscribe to the audio version on Apple Podcasts.
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