Beginner's Guide

The good news is that there is a lot of material available detailing the process of a web system
implementation. The bad news: help, humans are involved!
Problems are those weird things that pop up when you don't have your eye on the ball: earn money
and respect.
FIRST SOME DEFINITIONS
Resource
A resource is pending input from a customer or third party. If you don't get the resource, you can't do
or finish your job. E.g. digital photos from a photographer, a list of menu-item names in a different
language, a signature on the contract of your assignment (oops, you never ask for that?), etc.
Resourceplanning
Ensuring that the input of customers and third parties is ready for use in a project or support.
Scope
The extent of a solution. The size and magnitude of an effort, expertise, machinery, functionality
that is wanted/planned to offer that solution. <google scope - wikipedia>
Functionality-blocks
A logical group of functionality under a common title. Expressed in normal ''homo sapiens''
language. E.g. a forum, design, interface,7 advanced search. (A homo digitalis would invent titles like Jom-
social, psd plus html/css and template based on wire frame, database lookup of indexed content.)
Release plan
The release plan specifies which Functionality-blocks are going to be implemented for each system
release and dates for those releases. The release plan specifies who (in which role) fulfills the particular
tasks.
Sprint
All efforts within a certain phase in a project (as agreed in a release plan). The word "sprint" suggests
running to a deadline, no time to lose. We have to catch an airplane in time. Because the airplane will
leave and we better be on it. And therefore we might not pack our bag that well, some items might be
missing, we might go in fits and starts, but we get there in time! By doing so, we are much better off than
having all stuff beautifully packed: everything we might need is packed in the suitcase, but we are left
behind on the airport.
SprintX
The virtual sprint after the last planned sprint within the release plan. It is a container for extra work
(scope creep or agreed out of scope) or waiting area for functionality-blocks that couldn't be
implemented in the sprints so far.
Joomla! 2.5 - Beginner’s Guide
Monday, 30 January 2012! Page 248