Shots Shots Shots!

Vocabulary in software development we have learned this week: 

Old School Development- create a spec, hire a developer to create the software, cry when you realize it's not what you want.

The Agile Approach - Very interactive between the developers and the users.  Allows users to test and provide input along the way. Allows the stake-holders to prioritize features and attack the most important functionalities and then develop the “wants” later.

Apparently the Agile approach is well known and sounds aligned with our goals.  This is so great on so many levels.  Our hope is to post key user interfaces through this blog and have you test it, comment on it and help us create it.

With this approach the "conceptual spec" of old is in our hands to create.  They have suggested screenshots with notes listing functionality, things we like and things we don't.  While we vigorously pursue our own screenshots (we have an internal deadline of October 25th) we are asking you to send us screenshots too!

Where we are and where we are going

It has been an exciting couple of weeks.  We are in the process of interviewing several software developers to create a conceptual spec.  Thanks to all who have participated in the survey.  If we get a 100 responses to the survey we'll post the results on the blog so invite all to participate!  A couple more housekeeping notes: 
1.  I need you to send me your email address to cpmsoftware@gmail.com if you want to be directly notified when I post a new post...I am new to this whole blog thing. 
2.  We are going to be at the Construction CPM Conference 2011 http://www.constructioncpm.com/  giving a forum about ideal software.  We are excited to be a part of the inaugural year!

The start of a journey

Thanks to all who have supported our venture!  Our goal is to start with general 30,000ft requirements and move into the nitty gritty of menu structures, calculations, reports, etc. 

I read a great book the other day that said "Plans are nothing.  Planning is everything"  who better to plan this software then the professionals who do it everyday!  We are attempting a systematic approach for putting all the pieces of the puzzle together so that the software will work smarter and align with user expectations.

Please take a moment to participate in our first survey.  I have also added a software wish list so we can write down anything and everything that comes to mind.  Please invite others to follow and the tribe will become strong!

THE PROBLEM

The dominant scheduling software in the market is too expensive and cumbersome for the general user. Cheaper software on the market doesn’t meet government requirements and/or most of the time, user needs.

THE SOLUTION

Create CPM scheduling software for the user by the user that is simple, easy to use, readily adoptable by several agencies and affordable. – Easy right?

GRASSROOTS INNOVATION

I need your help in building this software. I would like to invite all who create, use and follow schedules to be a part of the journey.

NEW INSPIRATION FROM OLD HISTORY

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense which laid out why America should succeed from England.

“An affordable, reliable, user -friendly software is our duty to create: And when a professional seriously reflects on the status of scheduling software affairs, they will become convinced, that it is infinitely wiser and safer, to form products of our own in a cool deliberate manner, while we have it in our power, than to trust such events to time and chance. – The CPM software creation factory – with respectful reference to Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

Now is our chance to better the industry and perhaps even better ourselves along the way.