Mar 28, 2007

Some useful "Top 10" (Part I)

In my daily readings of random websites, I came across some lists of "top 10" that have some very useful tips. As it often happens with me, I do not agree with ALL the statements, but with enough of them as to publish some of those lists (and of course I couldn't help it but to bold those ones that I find 'oh, so true!').

But what I found more interesting is how some of these tips -even when they were meant for some specific profession- could be applied accross industries, professions and businesses.

    Top 10 Signs Your (Software) Project is Doomed:

  • Trying to do too much in the first version.
  • Taking a major dependency on unproven technology.*
  • Competing with an existing internal project that is either a cash cow or has powerful backers.
  • The team is understaffed.
  • "Complex problems require complex solutions".
  • Schedule Chicken
  • Scope Creep
  • Second System Syndrome
  • No Entrance Strategy.
  • Tackling a problem you don't know how to solve.

    * Note how by replacing "unproven technology" for "entry level staff" you can remove "software" from the title and still makes sense?


    The 10 Commandments of Egoless Programming

  • Understand and accept that you will make mistakes.
  • You are not your code.
  • No matter how much "karate" you know, someone else will always know more.
  • Don't rewrite code without consultation.
  • Treat people who know less than you with respect, deference, and patience.
  • The only constant in the world is change.
  • The only true authority stems from knowledge, not from position.
  • Fight for what you believe, but gracefully accept defeat.
  • Don't be "the guy in the room."
  • Critique code instead of people— be kind to the coder, not to the code.

Here, from my own experience I could change 'code' for 'slogan' and then change the title to "egoless copywriting".

I am sure that with other similar small replacements you could adapt these lists to almost any other profession...

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