State of MASystems

A short time ago I started a small - sort of - made up project - http://itprojectguide.blogspot.com/search/label/MASystems%20Project

To some extent it was to provide an example how I would approach task discovery and management...to some extent to get my Martial Arts site going somewhere (a million dollar idea worth 5 cents). As part of the process I selected Drupal, CakePHP, etc. as the tech platform with some very beneficial results. The benefit?

• deeper understanding of the open source community
• GREAT appreciation of Drupal (IT IS POWERFUL!!)
• GREAT appreciation of CakePHP! (POWERFUL - IBM, etc. are utilizing it)
• MVC - Model View Control and what it really means
• LAMP - better appreciation of the #1 platform for the internet
• Understanding of what the service industry could be - give the product away and provide the service (take all the fish you want, if you want them cleaned and cooked - well, that's $1 an hour)

What did I deliver (still incomplete web site....oh well)

• LAMP setup on my laptop (Ubuntu, Apache 2, MySQL 5 and PHP 5)
• Drupal setup on laptop and website (v 5.5)
• CakePHP setup on laptop and website
• base sites via Drupal, base test apps via CakePHP
• Multi-Site setup via Drupal (WOW! this is amazing!)
• Use of scaffolding in CakePHP (another wow!)
• Review of MANY Drupal Modules

It's amazing what you could learn when determined and open to new ideas and ways....sometimes when you're under strict time driven deliveries you loose opportunities...the real finding (read but did not fully appreciate Slack via Tom DeMarco)

Next Steps?

• get more in-depth knowledge of Drupal, CakePHP, etc
• refine my PM/Task approach
• look for the next path
• someday finish up the web site
  

PHP framework - task ID 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 completed

Got the list of Content and supporting functionality completed. When thinking about look/feel - well basically it's what Drupal (selected cms) provides via a selected theme.......anyway, the site is starting to take form http://masystems.org

PHP framework - task ID 1.3 and 1.4 completed

Task 1.3 - Select an IDE - this was an easy one, I had a copy of NuSphere PhpEd - a very good, easy to use IDE. I tried NVU prior and think it's VERY good for an open source (older) tool. There's also ZEND.....which I found to be on par with NuSphere PhpEd. End of the day, one wasn't significantly better then another and since I had a valid NuSphere PhpEd....it's the one.

Task 1.4 - Objectives: (somewhat defined in the initiation doc: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dc8s9cht_2ddw964&hl=en)

• Stay employable by staying in touch with current web technologies (upgrade my knowledge)
  
• Understand NEW web site creation approaches
• Better grasp of PHP - especially OO
  
• Understand strengths/weaknesses of various frameworks
• Understand CMS's
  

PHP framework - task ID 1.25 completed

Okay - so I did a lot of research into which CMS would work best with CakePHP and of the top two candidates, Drupal and Joomla, I've selected Drupal. I've actually worked a bit with both prior and even through I found Joomla easier to work with, Drupal seems to have better overall support and has a module for CakePHP (Drake). Joomla's CakePHP module, Jake, is available, but the seems to be less overall support, usage and updates for it......another one of those decisions. Here's an updated lessons learned: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=puDAkq4iYr86K6H-OlMlAAw and project plan: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=puDAkq4iYr846G03FVMT7bg
for those interested.

PHP framework - task ID 1.25 delivery - silly me

Part of the functionality I wanted for the MASystems.org web site was a CMS (content management system) - that would allow easy updates to plan content, etc. I forgot to include in the requirements, base plan and decision process of selecting the php framework. When I realized it, I had to determine if there was a CMS that worked with the framework (Cakephp) and how it would work. Luckily, there are smarter people out there then me and there are CMS's associated with the various frameworks (Seagull has it built in). After realizing my mistake, I updated the plan, lessons learned and will need to create another doc for the CMS selection process. I also decided that I wanted to install the CMS sooner then later in order to have a site where I can clearly document my progress, notes, etc.

MASystems Project - Step 5 - The initial plan

Putting the MASystem.org plan together....















Here's a link to the MASystems.org plan: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=puDAkq4iYr846G03FVMT7bg

The attributes were based on the prior article on 'Back to Basics - Project Tasks': http://itprojectguide.blogspot.com/2007/09/back-to-basics-project-tasks-part-1.html

And the initial tasks list for this project:
http://itprojectguide.blogspot.com/2007/11/blog-post.html

As you can see I took the meaningful attributes - based on overall complexity, risk levels, etc. - for the most part the majority of the attributes. In addition I also added some additional tasks - every review you will find that you are modifying the list - adding more detail, uncovered work areas, etc.

Looks like an interesting project and a well-paced plan.....plan the work and work the plan.

MASystems Project - Step 4 - Lessons Learned

It's never to early to start recording lessons from a project - there are many side benefits to a projects, a very important one is learning from it. http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=puDAkq4iYr86K6H-OlMlAAw

MASystems Project - Step 3 - initial risk assessment

Here's a link to the initial risk assessment......http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=puDAkq4iYr85PEa72lExnVw

MASystems Project - Step 2 - MASystems Initial pass at creating the tasks list

(click on image for full view)

via Google Docs: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dc8s9cht_5d79wm4

MASystems Project - Step 1: develop the project idea

This is the first step in a new openly shared project - MASystems.Org. I will follow the standard PMBOK approach of Initiation, Planning, Execution/Control and then Close Out (even though I'm an avid Agile PM person - the base 5 steps are the same). Here's the Project Initiation:

Project: MASystems.Org - Learning how to develop a modern PHP web site.

Idea
Learn PHP5/MySQL through the development of a Martial Arts web site. The focus is on utilizing open source tools, object oriented development and leading edge development practices. The Martial Arts web site itself is of interest to me and something I have a level of knowledge about (SME), so the content and resulting web site should not get in the way of the focus point - Gaining a better understanding of modern open source web site development practices.

Value
The value is derived by my ability to maintain and advance my career as a IT Project Manager for the next (gulp) 20+ years.......

Approach

• utilize open source development tools (don't pay for anything)
• use OO programming approaches
• understand how 'leading edge' developers work (frameworks, etc.)
• Refresh myself on PHP/MySQL
  
• understand how OO is implemented in the latest PHP (v5)
• understand the various frameworks, template, etc. approaches to development
• incorporate Agile approaches such as Test Driven Development (TDD), simplicity (KISS) and Refactoring
  

Assumptions/Constraints

• Use the existing MASystems.org url/hosting (via GoDaddy) - which is currently being used to test various CMS systems (Joomla being the most recent)
• Keep the initial delivery to defining the various martial arts systems, styles, existing martial arts web sites, and martial arts personalities (keep it simple)
• additional phases should include ability for users to add to all aspects of the site and provide commentary
• Use this as a learning experience, but keep the coding as minimal as possible (reason for use of a framework/template)
• User Google Docs to document project, progress, etc.
• Openly and honestly communicate......

  This above all: to thine own self be true,
  And it must follow, as the night the day,
  Thou canst not then be false to any man. - Shakespeare

Google Docs: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dc8s9cht_2ddw964