Jarvis notes on Keith's Video Notes

Mon, June 27, 2011 1:22:34 PM

RPS Project Management 101

From:	Jarvis Rich <ishtar@pacbell.net>  View Contact
To:	Keith Rich <kxr@netzero.net>
	RoPaSc1b.tgz (1212KB)

---

I attach a tar file that can run what I have.
It has and uses all the graphics, 
but you drive them by playing my tic-tac-toe game,
which has the board obscured by new graphics.

The playing board still has nine game-boards,
and you move from one to the next at the end of each game.
Soon it will be changed to use the whole screen.
 
When you lift up the touch device, 
the I'm done button is still required
(soon to be removed)

Win, lose, and draw counting is intact from tic-tac-toe.
Level 2 has an activity/view module from the API sample.
It will go away soon.
See if I have enough to tickle your imagination.


I replayed a youtube video I watched 

I think these principles also apply to project
management.  We've all known for a long time
how important it is to figure out what to do
before you jump in to start doing it, but it
needs to be remembered.
   That is an SDLC Waterfall belief.
   The point of Agile is to start much earlier.


The numbers at the left are time points within
the video.  I found it useful to go back to
review the ideas more than once.

How to build an iPhone app that doesn’t suck
in 10 easy steps
Steve Marmon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENyzcXRPeeI

key points:
  talk to users
    Lots of people, somewhere in a discussion of apps. 
  explore many designs
    Thanks for the book.
  iterate based on user feedback

03:12 step 1 Decide what to build.
    Don’t start with the solution
      Too bad. I habitually do this game in a new programming environment.
    What is the need/problem.
      Fun to play.
      Exercise to learn graphics, pointing device, Java libraries.
    Who is the user?
      Casual games for the non-enthusiast.
    What does the user need?
      Something to show someone else.
07:16 principle 1 Know your users.
      See above. 
07:54 step 2 Visit the app store.
    Look for similar apps.
      about 84 on the App Store
    see how they work
      Many are multi-user. That may be an extension of the current design.
    look for missing features or other deficiences
    Good artists copy, great artists steal - Pablo Picasso
      I stole from my own drawing. 
12:33 principle 2 Don’t build your app in a bubble.
12:34 step 3 Explore possible solutions.
    Address constraints.
      small screen
      less precise touch input
      typing is difficult
      usage is in short bursts
    Consider alternate controls.
      multitouch
      accelerometer
      gps
17:02 principle 3 Be minimal.
17:06 step 4 Sketch the user interface.
    Sketch many designs.
    Review designs (focus groups)
21:18 principle 4 Quality through quantity.
23:20 step 5 Build a paper prototype.
    Draw each screen.
    Go through scenarios on paper.
    Try “using” the app before writing any code.
       see: http://home.pacbell.net/ishtar/Game1



26:45 principle 5 Fail early to succeed sooner.
26:58 step 6 Fire up Omnigraffle. (drawing tool)
31:00 principle 6 Be pixel perfect.
31:03 step 7 Do it all again.
    The cost of making changes grows rapidly
      as you progress from design to code.
    Get the design as settled as possible
      before writing the code
32:21 principle 7 Remember that nothing is precious.
35:09 step 8 OK, you can finally code.
36:59 principle 8 Proceed top down, design UI, do back end data last.
37:00 step 9 Beta test your app.
42:04 principle 9 Test before you submit.
42:42 step 10 Release.