Prototypes
Tools (and processes) have evolved such that we can have working applications available to the world within an hour, and can test ideas with working software within a hours and days. After spending years playing the part of the brittle and ornary partner, software is finally becoming a little more "soft".
To pull this off takes a combination of the right tools and the right software development practices. Utilizing state-of-the-art tools like cloud deployments, Rails, Javascript, and some home-grown ones like Csster, many of the roadblocks to delivering software have been removed. Couple this with agile development practices that help hone in on the best features to implement next.
Sometimes a prototype is helpful to see if an idea really works, get valid feedback from users, or just convince the investors you are serious.
Sample projects and the approximate time required
- Aardvark -- I led the initial development in collaboration with the Aardvark team, building a prototype that evolved into the core engine.
- A one-day project, LinkedIn Timeline, scratched an itch of many years to build timelines. This project invovled learning the basics of their API, solving a few design problems, and actually implementing a working version. I built up a list of problems along the way, and this addresses some of them... many were left for another day.
- I built the first prototype of Story Mapper and contributed to ongoing dev and project management. (The link requires Pivotal Tracker login). This was a couple hours devoted to a "spike" implementation, which convinced the team to devote more resources to the project. Intial prototype approx 2 hours
- Interactive Git visualization: This is my visualization to clarify where the code goes, which I built while learning Git. This required gathering the data and has had several iterations since the initial prototype. The intial version took just a couple hours. After positive feedback I devoted time to fleshing out the text and responding to user requests.
- UX Spoke addresses common software usability questions. As you develop or refine a software product, it's easy to get stuck in a rut, running tests that aren't that helpful or focusing on Google Analytics. That tool that worked so well may no longer be the right tool for the questions you have now. The UX/Spoke tool is designed to help you explore many of the different tools in common practice. Approx 3 days, mixed with learning several neew technologies
- &what; is a programmer utility to discover various character entities. This is a prototype to utilize features of HTML5, as well as provide some utility. Initial version took just a couple hours, and the current implementation approx 4-8 hours
- A quick chart of the programming languages I've used. Created to demonstrate concise CSS and Javascript style. Approx 1 hour
- On Bedsider, I built an in-depth prototype of a new application, including visualizations and database backed functionality. (No demo available) Approx 1 month
- Agile Processes: A quick visualization to understand the differences between "agile", XP, scrum, etc. Approx 1 day
- Chklistr -- Find, use and share all sorts of checklists. Site concept.
- Difftionary -- Online dictionary of distinctions. Site concept.
