1	FoxCon Toledo 2008 Eclectic Thoughts on the Business of Software Development Dave Bernard The Intellection Group, Inc. http://www.IntellectionGroup.com DBernard@IntellectionGroup.com http://www.intellectiongroup.com/Presentations.asp
2	Agenda
3	Introduction Everything looks easy until you have to do it. Who am I? Over the last four years... I’ve gone from being a developer... ...to a consultant... ...to an entrepreneur. Do I miss development? I like solving problems... ...and building a business involves solving a lot of problems! Before we begin... Consultant or Company? Product or Service? A word about Investors, company building, exits and the like
4	It’s a Business! There are no technical problems, only business problems If it's not about improving the business, what's the point? What’s the value proposition?
5	The Value Proposition Learn to speak the language of business At least one party must learn the perspective and vocabulary of the other Benefit must be value-based, not cost-based Three core components... Revenue enhancement, cost reduction, and risk mitigation. Benefit belongs to the business, not to IT The goal of production programming is... ...to produce a shippable product. Fast/Cheap/Good: pick any two Work to manage risk, not eliminate it When you eliminate all risk, you eliminate all opportunity. Risk management requires adherence to well defined processes.
6	It’s all about the User Design consists of creating things for clients who may not know what they want, until they see what you've done, then they know exactly what they want, but it's not what you did.
7	It’s all about the User Developers should search for stories from users rather than a list of requirements, then wireframe it and add that to the contract There is no best practice... ...There are practices that fit best. Different situations call for different solutions -- form follows function. The key lies more in people and process than in technology and engineering. Be iterative Myth: The requirements for a system that's going to automate business functions are knowable in advance. Big solutions that work great mostly start as small solutions that work acceptably. Putting something into place and iterating is a more certain route to success than trying to "get it right the first time.“ Get feedback to the question: “How long am I willing to wait to find out I'm behind schedule, over budget, and off-specification?”
8	What’s a Developer to do? “I would love to know how much it will eventually cost to convince the world's VB6 programmers to move to VB.NET. For any other company in the history of the earth, it would be suicide to try and change the minds of several million of your own customers.” “Microsoft wanted me to get off MFC and onto Windows Forms. Now they want me to get off Windows Forms and onto Avalon. Doesn't anybody have an available API that is not planned for deprecation?” Eric Sink
9	What’s a Developer to do? This is an age of specialization The new CIS graduate today... Honing your integration skills. Learn be a consultant, not a coder. Preparation is a strategy; Cynicism is a lousy strategy; Hope is not a strategy.
10	Networking = Marketing It's not what you know, or who you know, but who knows you! ROT: Relationships Outlast Transactions
11	Networking It is not... Blindly sending resumes, job sites LinkedIn Cold calling It is... Making connections. Making your own luck. The more connections, the better the odds. Be opportunistic! First... Think of yourself as a brand Differentiate yourself Credentials, certifications , your unique pitch Remember, you are dominating your niche!
12	Getting Started Organize your networking (CRM) Meet as many people as you can Tell EVERYONE what you're doing Research Follow-up Be picky
13	Targets Keep up with your old work buddies Network with your vendors, and your customers vendors Network with your competitors There are no competitors, only potential partners! Network with your customers Conferences, Seminars, User Groups, Technology Groups Prequalify: is it a target-rich environment? Government Databases, Universities Find out who you want to meet Ask for introductions
14	More Targets Other entrepreneurs Attorneys VC's Friends and neighbors Newspaper ads Rent-a-Coder (RP) Dice High school reunion Garage sales Bands
15	Giving to Receive Create goodwill! Do good things for others and the local community Write articles, blog, give presentations Review business plans; give advice Share your network Create a "board of advisors” Bring people together Coincidences…
16	P and P Persistence and Patience pays off Never take "no" for an answer; work toward getting some semblance of a "yes". Just ask. "No" means "Not now.“ "Aggressive patience" toward prospects; even if you lose a deal, take the high road; they'll often come back. The Result You really can sit by the phone and wait for the deals to come in!
17	Right-Sourcing Fact: there’s an extreme worldwide talent shortage Part of a holistic strategy Culture issues Local business “conditions” and rules Hire developers, not coders Project managers on both sides Web-based tracking and source code tools Outsource your arms and legs, not your brain Shorter-term timeframes
18	Right-Sourcing Try it with a small project first before diving in wholeheartedly Good for jump-starting projects Outsource your mess “Technology refresh“ “Business process reform“
19	Some facts that may interest only me… A recent IDC study projected a sixfold growth in worldwide information between 2006 and 2010, from 161 exabytes in 2006 to more than 988 exabytes in 2010. According to Forrester Research, 76 million baby boomers will be exiting the U.S. workforce by 2017, with only 46 million younger workers in line to replace them.
20	Thanks This presentation is available at http://www.IntellectionGroup.com/FoxCon2008Presentation.htm http://www.intellectiongroup.com/Presentations.asp DBernard@IntellectionGroup.com