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Iteration 0


This week is my iteration 0 for the project I’m on. It’s the first project that I’m going to be the lead architect on. This is something that I’ve always wanted to do, so it’s very exciting for me to get my first taste. I have some great people around me and some mentors that I know I can go to for some help when (not if) I need it.

The project is a redesign of a client’s public website. The current website is written in Cold fusion and has a shopping cart functionality that is achieved using Comergent. We’ll be redesigning the site using ASP.NET. We’ll be leveraging the functionality of Commerce server 2009 for the shopping cart functionally as well as interfacing with SAP for billing/shipping/product information. On top of that the client is using Interwoven as a Content Management system. We’ll have to build a custom DB that Interwoven can write to and that our Website will query to get non product related information.

My biggest problem so far is trying to fit the Agile/SCRUM methodology into a consulting project. Normally in an Agile/Scrum methodology you’d get some high level requirements, sit down and figure out the most important ones, do the estimates and start the work. Not too many clients will allow a consulting firm to come in and build something on Time & Materials basis so we’ve already taken the time to sit down with the clients and get a feel for the development and given an estimate. This is a common Iterative/waterfall methodology. Finding a balance between the two is tricky and I’m bound to learn lots of lessons. Anyone got any words of advice for me?

Anyway, I’m like a kid on the first day of school. I’m excited for the opportunity, but worried about how things are going to go.

Wish me luck!

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