Way of Working

Every organisation has a different way of working.

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Way of Working

Observe

03 March 2021 • 5 minutes

Once you understand the problem more, the team now can move onto one of the most important stages that is often over looked, Observe.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

Understand

03 March 2021 • 7 minutes

The first part the scoping process is understanding the problem. This article will help you understand how to Understand.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

Ideate

03 March 2021 • 6 minutes

With your understanding of the problem now rock solid and validated, and the people who you hope to impact have been observed, now it is time for the most intense and rewarding stage of the scope, Ideate.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

Activity: Brand identity

01 March 2021 • 1 minute

Before you start to visualise the product, you should have a grasp of the brand identity you are building towards.

Written by Shannon England

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Way of Working

Activity: Discovery Interviews

01 March 2021 • 3 minutes

Have a chat with your users to gain insights into what they need and want and how your product can solve problems they are facing.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Activity: Story estimation

01 March 2021 • 3 minutes

Effectively matching estimation to reality.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

Activity: Spreadsheet Migration

01 March 2021 • 3 minutes

Create more scalable spreadsheets.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Activity: Bubble context and anti-corruption layer

01 March 2021 • 4 minutes

Reduce risk and complexity when migrating large legacy systems.

Written by Jordi Kitto

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Way of Working

Activity: Reverse Engineering Requirements

01 March 2021 • 4 minutes

Reverse engineer your requirements to set the stage for success.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Activity: Database migration

01 March 2021 • 1 minute

The typical starting point for a new Codebots application.

Written by Jordi Kitto

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Way of Working

Activity: Community Onion

01 March 2021 • 3 minutes

Figure out the community of people involved in your app.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Activity: Experimental Framework

01 March 2021 • 4 minutes

Embrace an experimental mindset and encourage an investigative culture in your team.

Written by Shannon England

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Way of Working

Activity: User Story Mapping

01 March 2021 • 2 minutes

Card sorting allows the scoping team to throw up all potential functionality up onto the wall. Once it’s all up there we can begin to sort them into MUST haves, SHOULD haves and NICE to haves.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Activity: Managing expectations

01 March 2021 • 6 minutes

Well-managed expectations are crucial to project success.

Written by Jordi Kitto

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Way of Working

Activity: Entity and Requirements Traceability Matrix

01 March 2021 • 4 minutes

Systematically record a divide-and-conquer migration pattern.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Activity: User Feedback

01 March 2021 • 1 minute

Time to share with the people what you built and see what they think about your ideas.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Activity: Wireframes

01 March 2021 • 1 minute

Now you have a rock-solid foundation and know what to start building, time to visualise the product.

Written by Shannon England

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Way of Working

Activity: Model Design

01 March 2021 • 1 minute

A model is designed as part of the scoping process for the purpose of creating an early understanding of the way the data will be structured and show this to the client.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

Activity: PDF Migration

01 March 2021 • 7 minutes

Migrate your PDFs to a web-based form.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Activity: Prototypes

01 March 2021 • 1 minute

The best way to test a product is with a high-quality prototype that allows the users and project team to really understand what is being made.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

What do I need to start developing a software application?

25 June 2020 • 2 minutes

So, you have a rough idea for an app to address some problem in your business - what next? Getting started on any software project can often be overwhelming, so it is crucial to be equipped with the right artefacts prior to building your application.

Written by Jordi Kitto

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Way of Working

How often should you be scoping when building software?

25 June 2020 • 5 minutes

Discussing how often you should be scoping when building software.

Written by Jordi Kitto

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Way of Working

What is a product backlog?

24 June 2020 • 4 minutes

This article will help you understand a little more about building a product backlog. The product backlog is the basis for how a software project is estimated and the roadmap constructed. For the old school, the product backlog is a list of requirements.

Written by Shannon England

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Way of Working

Do you scope legacy systems differently?

23 June 2020 • 9 minutes

Or, how do you scope a legacy migration? While we talk about the many different approaches to scoping, there are certain aspects which can be done differently when you are trying to modernise an existing system. This article explores what those differences are, and the most effective way you can modernise your product.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

User journey

15 June 2020 • 5 minutes

Take the time to lay out the Users Journey through your product, so you understand where all the key interaction points are.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

What do you need to design to build software?

15 June 2020 • 5 minutes

The basics of what you need to make while scoping a product.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

How do I scope like a pro?

15 June 2020 • 16 minutes

Scoping is more than process, its a whole mindset that can help you unlock

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

How can I use Design Thinking to scope products?

15 June 2020 • 7 minutes

Design Thinking is a fantastic method for getting ahead in business.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

Why is scoping important?

15 June 2020 • 7 minutes

Understanding the importance of scoping out a project before you begin work.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Define your audience

15 June 2020 • 5 minutes

Look at the big picture to see what groups your problem is affecting and what people you should target your solution towards.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

What is the difference between Scrum and Kanban?

09 June 2020 • 14 minutes

The quick answer is that Scrum uses sprints and delivers software at the end of each iteration. There is a Scrum guide that details all of the principles and practices of Scrum. Scrum is considered to be Agile. On the other hand, Kanban uses a continuous flow of work and delivers software when it is ready. The Kanban philosophy has roots in lean manufacturing and limits the work in progress through a pull mechanism to do work. It can also be considered to be Agile.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

Perspective cards

05 June 2020 • 6 minutes

Perspective cards is a quick activity to help you gain insight into how your product’s stakeholders or users see your product from their angle and perspective.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

When is the right time to converge or diverge my scope?

02 June 2020 • 14 minutes

Understanding when it is time to foster ideas or when it is time to focus on solutions during a project scope.

Written by Shannon England

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Way of Working

Project journey

02 June 2020 • 4 minutes

The project journey lets you both plan and reflect on activities and lessons in the scoping stage.

Written by Shannon England

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Way of Working

What is the Activity Kit?

22 May 2020 • 7 minutes

What is the activity kit, how was it made and how is it helpful?

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

How do I make my own Activity Kit item?

22 May 2020 • 6 minutes

A breakdown of how you can go create and document your own Activity Kit item.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

What are some scoping best practices?

22 May 2020 • 13 minutes

A few of the key things you can do when scoping a product to ensure it hits the mark.

Written by Jordi Kitto

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Way of Working

How do I scope out a project?

22 May 2020 • 9 minutes

Part of being a product designer is learning how to navigate the start of a project so you can help your team and clients understand exactly what needs to happen to get started.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

The cone of uncertainty experiment

15 May 2020 • 4 minutes

The cone of uncertainty is a powerful tool depicting the uncertainty about the time required to complete a project, based upon the amount of knowledge (or lack thereof) at the beginning of a project. In this article, we explore an experiment conducted by a team of people at Codebots to determine how the application of a cone of uncertainty could enhance project estimations.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

The tech spike experiment

15 May 2020 • 3 minutes

Tech spikes are an important part of our Way of Working, as they help us reduce the complexity and unfamiliarity of an issue for high risk projects. The tech spike experiment was conducted following the introduction of the risk matrix, as we began to notice issues that had higher risks were too difficult to estimate with a reasonable level of precision. In this article we will follow the how to propose an experiment methodology to understand why Codebots decided to start using tech spikes in our projects.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

The software risks experiment

13 May 2020 • 3 minutes

In this article we will look at an experiment the Codebots team conducted to discover how we could best manage software risks.

Written by Jordi Kitto

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Way of Working

What are experiments? Using science to solve business problems with heart.

11 May 2020 • 4 minutes

An experiment is a scientific method of evaluating ways to solve a problem. In this article, we’ll explore how we run experiments at Codebots, and explain why it’s essential for all businesses to encourage their employees to develop an experimental mindset.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Why is science so important?

11 May 2020 • 4 minutes

In an age dominated by the spread of misinformation, it is crucial to remember the pursuit of truth is what lies at the heart of the scientific endeavour. As we embark on this journey of discovery, we should always be asking ourselves the following - How do we know what is true? Who and what should we trust?

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

How do you convince people not to use Waterfall?

01 May 2020 • 6 minutes

Have you ever been in a meeting where someone is stuck in a waterfall mindset? I have. Many times. And if you start out a project where this still lingers, you have effectively left your future self a land mine and when you step on it … bang! Your project will derail and life will not be fun.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

What is the best software development methodology?

01 May 2020 • 11 minutes

If you are new to software development methodologies, you can think of them like a recipe for cooking. A cooking recipe usually gives you a list of ingredients with their weights/volumes, an instruction list of some sort, and eventually you will serve it up for people to eat. Because the recipe is written down, other people can follow it.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

What is a Way of Working?

01 May 2020 • 8 minutes

Every organisation has a different way of working. Some organisations align themselves with a specific methodology, but the truth is they usually only use a subset of what’s available and end up making their own hybrid approach. The philosophy behind a Way of Working is to embrace this.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

How do you propose an experiment?

28 April 2020 • 3 minutes

Channel your inner scientist and follow these 5 steps for proposing an experiment to make your software more loveable.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

Why use hours vs story points when estimating software?

23 April 2020 • 19 minutes

On the surface, story points seem great and make a lot of sense. They provide software teams with the ability to make story estimations relative to each other, without considering time. This allows velocity to be measured. What could be wrong with that?

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

8 ways to reduce software development costs

23 April 2020 • 9 minutes

Do you know how to reduce software development costs? On average companies spend 3.28% of total revenue on IT and services, according to a study from Deloitte. In this article I will discuss eight strategies we have found to bring down the cost of software development.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

How do you calculate the length of a software project?

23 April 2020 • 4 minutes

How do you estimate a software project? It is possible to calculate a decent estimation of a software project (as long as you are willing to put in some effort). Previously, we have covered some other approaches on how to estimate a software project, but in this article we are going to dive into the details on how to follow the Way of Working and use a time estimation spreadsheet.

Written by Jordi Kitto

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Way of Working

How do you estimate a software project in man hours?

22 April 2020 • 3 minutes

Anyone who has spent time before building software knows that estimating the length of a project is notoriously difficult. There are of course a number of different methods for estimating. As you build more projects you will likely discover which method works best for you. In this article, we will discuss the method we have come to prefer - estimating in man hours.

Written by Jordi Kitto

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Way of Working

Why do developers always need time to polish things off?

17 April 2020 • 8 minutes

This article will give you insight into the logistics of the software development lifecycle, and explain why developers need extra time at the end of a project to polish things off.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

Why are developers always chasing new features and the latest technology?

17 April 2020 • 3 minutes

In this article, we explore the ongoing demand for new skills and features in technical fields, and how Codebots uses tech spikes to maintain focus and keep projects on track.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

How many hours a day are workers productive?

17 April 2020 • 6 minutes

Various studies have found that the average employee is only productive for three hours a day, or an average of 12.5 hours per week.

Written by Shannon England

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Way of Working

How do you manage expectations in software development?

14 April 2020 • 2 minutes

Expectations can be a powerful, yet unavoidable force in any project. In the following article, we explore some of the ways in which you can best manage these through the lifecycle of your software project.

Written by Jordi Kitto

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Way of Working

How do you identify and manage risks in software development?

14 April 2020 • 4 minutes

No matter the software project, there will always be an element of risk present that you must account for. The follow article explores some of the most effective ways to identify and manage risks in the software development process.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

Why do so many software projects fail?

14 April 2020 • 6 minutes

All too often, we hear stories of software failing as IT systems become an increasingly prominent part of our everyday lives. In the following article, we investigate some of the most significant factors behind past examples of failed software projects.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

How to form a successful cross-functional team

09 April 2020 • 6 minutes

Skills and challenges faced when forming a cross-functional team.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

7 ways to estimate a software project

08 April 2020 • 9 minutes

If you have had experience estimating software projects, you might think it is an impossible task. However it is possible, and there are a number of known techniques on how to best estimate. If you have a little time and are willing to do some deeper research in the area, you will be able to get your head around the general ideas and the pitfalls of some of the approaches.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

Why are software estimates so hard?

06 April 2020 • 14 minutes

Besides being a prediction of the future, there is a very human element to why software estimates are so hard. The psychology behind software estimations is fascinating and some studies have turned up some very interesting results. Knowing about your own biases and human psychology can help improve the realism of software estimates. As Dan Ariely sums up nicely with the title of his book, we are Predictably Irrational.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

Rapid prototyping

03 April 2020 • 4 minutes

Quickly build and test out prototypes to help validate your idea so you can ideate on improved solutions.

Written by Eban Escott

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Way of Working

Red routes

02 April 2020 • 1 minute

Red routes are a map that sorts out how often people use a feature and how many of the user bases interact with it. They will help to filter key tasks and prioritise your Story backlog.

Written by Shannon England

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Way of Working

Brainstorming ideas

02 April 2020 • 9 minutes

Taking a creative approach to generating ideas and narrowing down the best solutions to start building.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

Pattern Recognition

02 April 2020 • 1 minute

Look for patterns in the research and interviews to give more insight into the project

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

User Testing

16 March 2020 • 1 minute

You’ve learnt everything you need from your project manager and built a basic prototype. Now its time to start testing the solution on actual users to validate your work.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

Defining the problem

25 February 2020 • 7 minutes

Working with the stakeholders to define the problem that team will be solving with the project.

Written by Christine Chien

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Way of Working

Evolving the bots

20 November 2019 • 1 minute

The process we follow to evolve the bots.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Capturing Requirements as stories and epics

20 November 2019 • 2 minutes

How to write epics and stories to capture the requirements of a project.

Written by Tessa Mylonas

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Way of Working

Activity Kit Overview

06 September 2019 • 2 minutes

The activity kit contains a number of recommended activities that people can use throughout the Way of Working.

Written by Eban Escott