Comments on: Lessons Learned: Startup Failure Part 2 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html Dealing with software projects in real life Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:07:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Pawel Brodzinski http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2104 Pawel Brodzinski Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:42:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2104 It would make a difference at least in a couple of areas:<br /><br />1. There would be higher pressure to push development of the service. Having a day job makes you feel safe. Feeling safe makes you more prone to failure since you can get over it. Hey, you still have your main job.<br /><br />2. There would be better maintenance of the service. One thing we struggled was everyday maintenance of the platform. A series of crashes happened and it took long time to recover from each. It would be different if someone worked on it as his main job, not during time stolen from other activities. It would make a difference at least in a couple of areas:

1. There would be higher pressure to push development of the service. Having a day job makes you feel safe. Feeling safe makes you more prone to failure since you can get over it. Hey, you still have your main job.

2. There would be better maintenance of the service. One thing we struggled was everyday maintenance of the platform. A series of crashes happened and it took long time to recover from each. It would be different if someone worked on it as his main job, not during time stolen from other activities.

]]> By: soenandar http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2103 soenandar Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:32:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2103 What if half of you decided to quit and work full time, do you think that makes a different for your business? What if half of you decided to quit and work full time, do you think that makes a different for your business?

]]> By: Paul Marculescu http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2102 Paul Marculescu Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:31:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2102 It's true that it all depends on what you want to communicate and what you need to achieve.<br/><br/>There is nothing wrong to talking, of course, but I prefer to have everything written down when it comes to projects collaboration.<br/><br/>In any case, our conversation here inspired me for <a HREF="http://blog.teamness.com/2009/01/brainstorming-remotely.html" REL="nofollow">a new blog post</a>, as a long answer to this, as seen from my point of view. It’s true that it all depends on what you want to communicate and what you need to achieve.

There is nothing wrong to talking, of course, but I prefer to have everything written down when it comes to projects collaboration.

In any case, our conversation here inspired me for a new blog post, as a long answer to this, as seen from my point of view.

]]> By: Pawel Brodzinski http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2101 Pawel Brodzinski Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:34:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2101 Try to do some brainstorming via email then. The <a HREF="http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/02/best-way-of-contact.html" REL="nofollow">best way of communication</a> depends on what do you want to achieve. At that time we still needed a lot of open-ended discussions which pushed the project ahead.<br/><br/>I don't agree on efficiency of written communication as a rule either. It takes significantly more time to write some things down than to say them. You get feedback later so you can spend some time digging in a dead-end instead of getting quick reposnse pointing you the right way etc.<br/><br/>Of course there are situations where emails of instant messengers are better but at that time we needed more face-to-face meetings than we could organize while we were spread over different localizations. Try to do some brainstorming via email then. The best way of communication depends on what do you want to achieve. At that time we still needed a lot of open-ended discussions which pushed the project ahead.

I don’t agree on efficiency of written communication as a rule either. It takes significantly more time to write some things down than to say them. You get feedback later so you can spend some time digging in a dead-end instead of getting quick reposnse pointing you the right way etc.

Of course there are situations where emails of instant messengers are better but at that time we needed more face-to-face meetings than we could organize while we were spread over different localizations.

]]> By: Paul Marculescu http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2100 Paul Marculescu Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:42:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2100 Yep, I understand that you had to go from face-2-face meetings to email discussions, but in my opinion, writing things down in emails is more efficient than live talk, for the following reasons:<br/><br/>It's natural to keep the discussion focused on different aspects. Talking makes this a bit chaotic.<br/><br/>It's easier to follow a point of view, when you have it written in front of view and you may easily go back and forth on the thread.<br/><br/>Writing instead of talking makes people think deeper about what is it that they want to communicate.<br/><br/>Everything that's discussed gets in some sort of storage for further reference.<br/><br/>So, as far as I'm concerned, going to communication through a written medium is more efficient than having live meetings. That's why I didn't understand what you were referring to when you said that working from the same place was better. Yep, I understand that you had to go from face-2-face meetings to email discussions, but in my opinion, writing things down in emails is more efficient than live talk, for the following reasons:

It’s natural to keep the discussion focused on different aspects. Talking makes this a bit chaotic.

It’s easier to follow a point of view, when you have it written in front of view and you may easily go back and forth on the thread.

Writing instead of talking makes people think deeper about what is it that they want to communicate.

Everything that’s discussed gets in some sort of storage for further reference.

So, as far as I’m concerned, going to communication through a written medium is more efficient than having live meetings. That’s why I didn’t understand what you were referring to when you said that working from the same place was better.

]]> By: Pawel Brodzinski http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2099 Pawel Brodzinski Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:15:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2099 There were 4 of us, but like I've already mentioned no one worked full time on the project.<br/><br/>When we split communication became just harder. Most of the time we were talking only via instant messangers and emails, while earlier we could meet whenever we needed. There were 4 of us, but like I’ve already mentioned no one worked full time on the project.

When we split communication became just harder. Most of the time we were talking only via instant messangers and emails, while earlier we could meet whenever we needed.

]]> By: Paul Marculescu http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2098 Paul Marculescu Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:24:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2009/01/lessons-learned-startup-failure-part-2.html#comment-2098 Valuable lessons here, Pawel.<br/><br/>How many people were on the team for Overto?<br/><br/>I'm also curious about the issues you started facing after you began working from different places. Valuable lessons here, Pawel.

How many people were on the team for Overto?

I’m also curious about the issues you started facing after you began working from different places.

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