Unfortunately release cycles do not get enough attention so it seems. There are so many external factors that affect a company's release cycle, customer requests / demands, market forces, critical bugs, etc. It seems like timing is way down the list of motivators.
 
We use a 3rd party control set (the name will remain anonymous) and the parent company has not thoroughly considered what a release can do to the developers that use it. For example, they typically release 3 majors a year that contain some sort of bug fixes, new functionality and new controls. Typically they do not release fully regressed hot fixes during the interim but instead they release internal builds. These builds have not been through the full QA process so for a production site they are worthless. That leaves major releases as the only option for us poor developers.

I personally had found several buggy items in their 2nd release of the year so I had no choice but to try the 3rd release (remember no hot fixes). Well in the latest release they decided to change the appearance of the yes/no dialog to remove the no button and make it a link instead (there are plenty of other issues here as well but let’s focus on this one). I know it is not a major change but imagine if I had a 120 page training manual with screen shots or 50+ training videos (this is how we train/support) or a large help file full of the old style dialogs and now I have to go update all my supporting documentation. Maybe it was in the read me file and yes I am guilty of missing it, but the real issue here is their release schedule.

I have proposed what I consider a nice release schedule. One major release a year where all things are candidates for change. User interface paradigm shifts, colors, skins, etc. Then supplement the releases with minor releases that have been through the full QA process along with any hot fixes in the same process. Of course introducing new controls during the year is ok as long as existing controls are not broken. Then we could plan our upgrades appropriately without having to take a major release just because they broke something in the previous one.

Then the life lesson really hit home. One of our vertical markets is extremely busy during March, April and May. So any major UI paradigm shift needs to occur in fourth quarter so our user base will have time to adjust and train on the new components prior to their busy season. What it really means is we have to restrain ourselves as product managers and developers, scheduling the significant changes at the right time for our customers.

Architecture is the big buzz word in the developer community these days. Who doesn't aspire to be an architect. Unfortunately there is too much emphasis on being an architect than on engineering solutions that are efficient and effective. I have a friend that says every application has an architecture the question is did you design it or did it just happen. I tend to agree. These days I describe the development process as engineering a solution, I believe it more effectively describes the process, especially in this world where architecture is over used.

Why do I feel this way? Well as a teenager I was involved in construction, building homes and commercial projects. I was able to observe the people constructing the projects some architect designed. A lot of the time you would hear "that sorry architect didn't think about this or that" and so often the design was "modified" on site. Maybe it was a function of the design being off or too complex but regardless it was modified. I see it a lot in development too. Too much custom work going on in projects to tie everything together. Also it can make estimating projects real difficult. Yeah we have a nice UML model that says this object plugs into that object but when we get to the assembly line we are stuck with a square peg and a hole.

I believe in consistency and uniformity. Everything in the business layer should be designed to look the same, behave the same and expose very similar properties. This solves a lot of problems in the development phase as well in the maintenance phase. As my friend likes to say only about 25% of the cost of the product is in development, the rest is spent on maintenance. Recently I was involved in a large scale development effort and the business layer was really a beast. It seemed like everything was difficult to estimate, implement and maintain. Plus the inconsistencies really became a bottle neck and source of bugs. The next large development process I had control over the data and business layers. I was able to engineer the components to be flexible, generic but type safe and extensible to support all the business entities in the system. The result was a uniform, scalable business layer that is easy to learn yet powerful enough to solve the most complex problems, all with just a handful of core components and a class generator. Engineering was truly the answer.

It seems like all developers seem to believe they are closer to releasing than is reality or at least I always tend to think I'm closer. If you ever need a reality check then just demo your application to a boss, a tester, a friend or business associate. Nothing brings a little light to the subject quite like having to explain your application to another person.

When you find yourself making excuses for problems, lack of completed functionality or functionality in general you will start to realize just how far you are from a completed product. It is way too easy to just brush over the pieces of the application that you haven't worked on for a while. How many times have we left functionality for later or had a design meeting shift our focus to another section of the application. Then as time goes by we minimize the missing functionality and start to think we're so close to launching the product. A good demo will quickly remind you of just how much work is left to knock out. Keep a list of the OH NO moments that occur during the demo just as a reminder of the missing functionality.

A quick way to try out usuability is to have the person follow along in the application. Try talking the person through the functionality in the system without them seeing what your are doing on your screen. You may find that they are clicking on a totally different component on the screen than what you believe. For example we have a calendar for navigation on the right hand side of the application and a scheduler (which now I realize looks a lot like a calendar to everyone else) on the bottom of a split screen. I was instructing our test subject (we'll call her Sally) to click on the calendar to navigate to today's work. Sally would click and report back that nothing was happening. This went on for several minutes and finally I gave up and started a webinar. When I demonstrated the screen to her it became obvious to her that she was clicking on the scheduler. However it also became obvious to me that she viewed the scheduler as a calendar. What was totally obvious to me was a design problem for the average user.

In conclusion what I learned was what I knew...that getting the code in front of people early and often is the best path to developing usuable, successful software. It's just too easy to neglect this principal because we're all too busy building the applications and we let the "less important" items slip.

I am sure there are plenty of people currently working for small companies who think "I am doing most of the work around here, I should be doing this for myself". While that may be true, be sure to cover all of your bases prior to making the jump. There are several questions you should ask yourself.

Am I motivated enough to make the sacrifices needed to launch a company?
If you think you work hard now just go into business for yourself. You forget how much your current employer supports your efforts each day. Who will do the design, the development, the testing? Where will you work? Are you going to have a distibuted team or will everyone work from a single location. Will you allow people to work in your home or do you need a office? If you need an office consider renting an apartment or small offices in public storage facilities. These are great low cost solutions to needing a physical location. Who will do payroll, answer phones, write marketing material? How about accounting and taxes? There is a lot to consider prior to taking the plunge. Make a list and a plan. Write up a budget and do some calculations in Excel to determine when the cash runs out. It's not hard, you just need to put some thought into it.

How will you bank role the company?
This an important question if you will have some employees or contractors working on the project. There are a few options, your savings, family and friends and finally your network. Most likely these will be your only sources of capital. If cash is tight it may be better to delay the ship date of the product and continue developing it after hours. This will conserve cash and may just give you the time you need to succeed. Consider using college interns to help you finish out your product. Most will be extremely cheap and some will be free. Even though they are completely green I believe it is a better approach than outsourcing (those employees are probably just as green). Plus your can setup an office where you can guide the interns on a daily basis.

What market will you serve?
Are you going into the same vertical market that your current employer is serving? This should be a very big concern even if you are considering a totally different product from your employer's current offering. If you are you need to really consider what your employer may think. If your employer is a sole proprietor then you may want to discuss your plans with the owner. Even if you don't think you are infringing on his market space he may see it differently, especially if the owner is not reasonable. He may be crazy enough to believe he owns everything you've ever learned while employed at his business. You're probably wondering why this matters. Well it is simple, if he has more money than you then he can tie you up in court until all of your startup funds are spent plus some. Going into the same market space as your employer is effective sometimes and sometimes it is not. It really depends on the mental state/stability of the owner. Usually the bigger the business the safer you are. However you should tag it as a huge risk that you need to mitigate.

How am I going to sell my product?
You will have to devise a plan to market and sell your product. Is this sold via a direct mail campaign or through ad-words? Who is going to write your copy? What marketing gurus should you follow? Should you consider paying for individual marketing consultation with one of the gurus? Everyone knows the best product is not always the one that wins. Marketing plays a huge role in the success of a product. You should consider that writing effective copy may take just about the same amount of time as the product. Not each individual marketing piece but the refinement of the message as you prove the market strategy in the market place.

Who is going to support my clients?
If you are lucky enough to make it to product launch and sell a few then you have to support the product. If you are writing copy, fixing bugs, adding enhancements and gathering new requirements then how are you possbily going to have time to support the product. You could always just do forum based support but this might make your customers feel isolated. Just another concern to add to the business plan.

As you can see coding the product may be the easy part of launching the business. Most likely you have experience in writing software but the other areas may kill your business.

"I'm done with email!" 

It's always misinterpreted -- why do I have to end everything with :) -- really. 

I'm tired of reading everyone else’s book of problems that now have become my problems because they typed an email and were smart enough to locate the send button.

I've had enough of the 'Email Bravery'... afraid to say it in person but not afraid to type a nasty or bold message from behind locked doors. (same reason I hate message boards!)

I am convinced email:

-- makes people feel important
-- makes people feel like they are doing something (hint, they are not!!!  email is rarely productive)
-- makes it possible for people to shift their 'to do' list to my 'to do' list with the click of the send button

I propose a new email policy for all:

1. Write a subject line that means something -- Re: Re: Re: list -- doesn't mean anything.  Makes me want to hit DELETE. 

2. One thought per email.  One question per email.  I tossed email on my blackberry a year ago... if I still had it I could actually function if email were done this way.

If the email is more than a paragraph long most people get blurry eyed and black out.  Make it simple.  Make it actionable.  Set me up with a Yes | No answer if possible.  Even if it means three emails instead of one.  Great.  This is much easier to respond to on the airplane or when I have a couple of minutes to spare between appointments or focused blocks of work.  If you send me a book I'll probably just mark it new and save it for later.  Don't most people do this?

3. Finally. I think Twitter (I'll admit I thought it was the stupidest idea ever and just another time suck... probably wrong) might work because it only allows 140 characters per post.  Google AdWords ... gotta say your message in 95 characters.  Pure genius!  Imagine if email were limited to 140 characters?  

Every word would have to count.  

I have been pondering my schedule for several years now. In the early 2000s I would arrive at work at 7am (mostly out of necessity). It sure seems during those times that my days had a sense of urgency to them. As if my body was telling me that I had better work hard and efficiently because I woke it up at 5:30 in the morning. Plus I accomplished tons prior to the rest of the office personnel arriving. It almost seemed to set the tempo for the day.

I know my attitude during this period was don’t waste my time because I got up early to knock out my items.Now I find myself arriving for work at 9am. My day seems more laid back, almost lackadaisical as compared to the 7am start. I wonder as I look back at my previous employment stops if the most productive employees started their day early.

As we move forward can we instill this sense of urgency in the employees we hire into our business? Would a weekly kick off meeting the best way to set the tempo for the week? I know most status meetings are more of a drain than inspiration, but that's for another day and another post.

1. I can easily find a market of hungry buyers online that want what I have

2. I can get to these hungry buyers via Google AdWords

3. I do not need to be first to market to succeed

4. I can grow slowly and still be successful

5. My solution does not require integration with major industry players to be viable... if integrated it’s a bonus but not a requirement

6. I have found several end users who have agreed to buy what I am selling and secured money from them before building my product or solution (proves idea relevancy)

7. If I'm not number one or two in the market place I could still be a raging success (i.e. after Facebook and MySpace is there really much room left? Does anyone really need another similar Social Media solution? And how much money would it take to compete?)

Not all ideas are good ones.  Not everyone wants what you think they will want.  No one buys for logical reasons... buying decisions are based on emotion and later justified with logic (if possible). 

Be sure before you invest your time and money that there is a market for what you are building.  It will save you a tremendous amount of pain and debt.

Thanks to Google AdWords it isn't that hard to test an idea and prove concept before committing.

I've spent a lot of money learning and studying the game of business.  Got a long ways to go.  But it's had a tremendous impact on my earnings, net worth and opportunities.  Take Dan Kennedy for example, I've probably spent 10k on his stuff in the last 2 years.  Every dollar was well spent.  How many other people would have spent 10k to learn (from just one guy)?  Not many.  And I believe there is a direct correlation between the money spent to learn and grow and your income and opportunity.

It could be argued that 10k is an awful lot of money when you are just getting started or when you are broke.  Agreed.  So here's the solution.  Buy the book.  Dan Kennedy must have 10 books on the market.  Every one of them worth reading.  Every one of his books is packed full of actionable ideas worth 10's to 100's of thousands of dollars if implemented.

Problem is, it seems the all the vast majority of people do is talk and set new year’s resolutions. 

Until you start doing it, implementing and learning, you'll never be able to afford to.  Start with the book.  All the guru's have one.  They've all discovered the same thing.  Books build instant credibility and lead to speaking gigs... and big paydays.  For $10 you can't go wrong... especially with a Dan Kennedy book.

It will be an interesting year as we progress through the remaining development steps and as the sales/marketing engine spins up.