The Code Whisperer

The front end in this context is not the GUI but the period between the project’s conception and the point it actually starts. This period, which can last from days to years, can include activities such as feasibility studies, budgeting and gaining sponsors. These are all important tasks, but can take too long, resulting in a shortened development plan.

It’s obviously better to reduce time in the front end processes and spend it during development, but really this needs to identified as early as possible. Look at the tasks being carried out and plan them, taking into account events such as financial year ends, stakeholder’s holidays and make sure these don’t coincide with decisions that require these people. Also try to carry out the task that is most likely to halt the project as early as possible so that the minimum of time and effort is wasted. If possible identify bottlenecks in the process, for example sign off by senior management, and try to bring those forward in the process, and also smooth the way for the activity.

It’s not only large projects that suffer from this problem. I’ve had many small web projects that I’ve invested a fair bit of time researching and scoping only for the client to go very quiet, then suddenly phoning up some time later, all fired up and wanting it done immediately. This is fine if you have the capacity to do it, but more often than not this isn’t the case, which is a difficult message to relay to the enthusiastic client.