The Untameable Mindset
for software development
Written by: Edgar Ravenhorst, 24 mei 2024
Purpose
The Untameable Mindset aligns all team members—including developers, product owners, clients, designers, and other stakeholders—around a shared philosophy and adaptable principles. This mindset guides behavior and decision-making to develop high-quality, secure, stable, and controllable web applications. By fostering a common culture and emphasizing flexibility, the Untameable Mindset ensures collaborative and efficient work to meet user and developer needs, leading to project success.
Methodologies
The Untameable Mindset combines key principles from Agile, Lean, DevOps, and User-Centered Design (UCD) to create a fast, flexible, and user-focused approach. Agile's iterative development and continuous feedback align with our focus on MVP-driven growth and constant improvement. Lean's emphasis on delivering value and eliminating waste supports our pragmatic testing and automation strategies. DevOps practices, like continuous integration and deployment, ensure rapid, reliable releases and maintainable code. UCD's principles of understanding user needs and designing intuitive interfaces are central to prioritizing both user and developer experiences. This blend fosters a collaborative, efficient, and innovative development environment.
Aspects of the Untameable Mindset
The Untameable Mindset comprises several aspects that guide development practices and behaviors. These aspects emphasize collaboration, flexibility, efficiency, and user-focused development to create high-quality, maintainable products that meet user and developer needs. By following these aspects, teams can align their work, make informed decisions, and deliver successful projects.
1: Unified Vision and Goals
Ensure everyone understands the project's vision and goals. This shared understanding guides decisions and actions across the team.
Learn more2: Cross-Functional Collaboration
Foster collaboration among all roles by encouraging open communication and teamwork. This approach leverages diverse expertise and perspectives to solve problems and innovate effectively.
Learn more3: MVP Driven: Start Small, Grow Big
Begin with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and scale up through iterative development. This approach allows for rapid deployment and user feedback while ensuring the product evolves robustly and sustainably.
Learn more4: Release or Disable Features Through Configuration
Use feature toggles and configurations to release or disable features quickly. This approach allows for flexible adjustments without extensive code changes, enabling controlled rollouts and quick responses to feedback.
Learn more5: Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)
Integrate and deliver code changes frequently with automated testing and deployment to ensure code quality and functionality. This approach promotes collaboration, reduces integration issues, and maintains a stable, deployable codebase.
Learn more6: Pragmatic Testing of Code
Focus on tests that provide real value and insight. Identify critical paths and concentrate testing efforts on the most important areas to ensure high code quality and performance, avoiding over-testing.
Learn more7: Automate Repetitive and Complex Tasks
Automate complex or repetitive tasks across the organization and for end-users to improve efficiency and free up time for more valuable work. This enhances productivity and ensures consistent execution.
Learn more8: Prioritize Needs of the End-User and (Future) Developer
Prioritize both the end-user experience and future developer needs to ensure the product is user-friendly and maintainable. Involve users in design, maintain clear documentation, and follow best practices for code maintainability.
Learn more9: Concise and Accessible Documentation
Maintain concise and accessible documentation to provide an overview of the software, its components, and critical business logic. This supports effective use and development without consuming excessive time.
Learn more10: Continuous Feedback and Improvement
Foster a culture of continuous feedback and improvement. Regularly collect feedback from all stakeholders to refine processes and products, ensuring the development process is always evolving and adapting.
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