Slides for a talk I gave at RVATechX FinTech on May 4, 2020 via Zoom. Also given at Futureproof IT Virtual Summit May 19, 2020.

1. @mscottford
MAKERS AND MENDERS
BY M. SCOTT FORD
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF CODE WHISPERER, CORGIBYTES
FINDING TALENT FOR LEGACY CODE PROJECTS

2. @mscottford
HI.

3. @mscottford
HI.
I’M SCOTT.

4. @mscottford
HI.
I LOVE TO FIX BUGS.
I’M SCOTT.

5. @mscottford
“FEATURES ARE
MORE IMPORTANT
THAN BUGS”
- ALL MY FORMER BOSSES

6. @mscottford
ARE THEY?
BOTH CHANGE BEHAVIOR.
FEATURE BUG
ADDS
NEW
CAPABILITY
CORRECTS
EXISTING
CAPABILITY

7. @mscottford
WHAT HAPPENS IF
WE DEFER MAINTENANCE?
NO UPGRADES CRASHES DATA LOSS
WORK STOPPAGESLOWER PRODUCTIVITY
SECURITY VULNERABILITIES BREACHES
FRUSTRATING UX ANGRY CUSTOMERS
BAD PRESS MARKET SHARE LOSS
• •
•
•
•
•

8. @mscottford
FIXING BUGS IS GOOD
FOR BUSINESS
FEATURES BUG FIXES
ATTRACT
NEW
CUSTOMERS
RETAIN
EXISTING
CUSTOMERS

9. @mscottford

10. @mscottford

11. @mscottford
HEALTHY
SOFTWARE
PROJECTS
NEED MORE
THAN ONE
TYPE OF
DEVELOPER

12. @mscottford
MAKER (ADDING)
MENDER (CORRECTING)
HEALTHY
SOFTWARE
PROJECTS
NEED MORE
THAN ONE
TYPE OF
DEVELOPER

13. @mscottford
MAKER (ADDING)
MENDER (CORRECTING)
HACKER
(SPEED)
CRAFTER
(QUALITY)
HEALTHY
SOFTWARE
PROJECTS
NEED MORE
THAN ONE
TYPE OF
DEVELOPER

14. @mscottford
FEATURE
BUILDER
MAKER (ADDING)
MENDER (CORRECTING)
HACKER
(SPEED)
CRAFTER
(QUALITY)
HEALTHY
SOFTWARE
PROJECTS
NEED MORE
THAN ONE
TYPE OF
DEVELOPER

15. @mscottford
FEATURE
BUILDER
MAKER (ADDING)
MENDER (CORRECTING)
HACKER
(SPEED)
CRAFTER
(QUALITY)
RAPID
PROTOTYPER
HEALTHY
SOFTWARE
PROJECTS
NEED MORE
THAN ONE
TYPE OF
DEVELOPER

16. @mscottford
FEATURE
BUILDER
MAKER (ADDING)
MENDER (CORRECTING)
HACKER
(SPEED)
CRAFTER
(QUALITY)
RAPID
PROTOTYPER
EMERGENCY
RESPONDER
HEALTHY
SOFTWARE
PROJECTS
NEED MORE
THAN ONE
TYPE OF
DEVELOPER

17. @mscottford
FEATURE
BUILDER
MAKER (ADDING)
MENDER (CORRECTING)
HACKER
(SPEED)
CRAFTER
(QUALITY)
RAPID
PROTOTYPER
SOFTWARE
REMODELER
EMERGENCY
RESPONDER
HEALTHY
SOFTWARE
PROJECTS
NEED MORE
THAN ONE
TYPE OF
DEVELOPER

18. @mscottford
FEATURE
BUILDER
RAPID
PROTOTYPER
SOFTWARE
REMODELER
EMERGENCY
RESPONDER
• NEW CONCEPT
• MANY UNKNOWNS
• REQUIRES MARKET
VALIDATION
• HIGH RISK OF
CANCELATION
• SHORT SHELF-LIFE
• TIGHT DEADLINE
PROJECT TRAITS
• VERY ADAPTABLE
• OPTIMISTIC
• INVENTIVE
• EXPERIMENTATIVE
• THRIVES UNDER
PRESSURE
• “JUST SHIP IT”
MENTALITY
PEOPLE TRAITS
NEW IDEAS
IN A HURRY
MAKER / HACKER

19. @mscottford
FEATURE
BUILDER
RAPID
PROTOTYPER
SOFTWARE
REMODELER
EMERGENCY
RESPONDER
• ESTABLISHED
MARKET
• USERS NEED MORE
• MEASURABLE ROI
• FEWER UNKNOWNS
• STABILITY MATTERS
• GROWING
USERBASE
PROJECT TRAITS
• DETAILED
• QUALITY-FOCUSED
• DELIBERATE
• USER-FOCUSED
• EXCITED BY
BUILDING NEW
THINGS
• PRAGMATIC
PEOPLE TRAITS
NEW THINGS
BUILT WELL
MAKER / CRAFTER

20. @mscottford
FEATURE
BUILDER
RAPID
PROTOTYPER
SOFTWARE
REMODELER
EMERGENCY
RESPONDER
• FREQUENT OUTAGES
• SITE CRASHES
• LOSS OF BUSINESS
FUNCTION
• FREQUENT
CUSTOMER
COMPLAINTS
• POOR NPS
PROJECT TRAITS
• VERY ADAPTABLE
• THRIVE UNDER
TIME PRESSURE
• DEFER ROOT CAUSE
INVESTIGATIONS
• INVESTIGATE FAST
• EXPERIMENT WITH
SOLUTIONS
PEOPLE TRAITS
TRIAGE AND
FIX IT FAST
MENDER / HACKER

21. @mscottford
FEATURE
BUILDER
RAPID
PROTOTYPER
SOFTWARE
REMODELER
EMERGENCY
RESPONDER
• LEGACY SYSTEM
• UNADDRESSED
VULNERABILITIES
• RISKY DEPLOYMENT
• HIGH TECH DEBT
• CHANGE REQUIRES
IMMENSE EFFORT
• HUGE BUG LIST
PROJECT TRAITS
• DELIBERATE
• QUALITY FOCUSED
• PATIENT
• PERSISTENT
• DETERMINED
• GOOD AT POLISHING
• IDENTIFY ROOT
CAUSES
PEOPLE TRAITS
BETTER BIT
BY BIT
MENDER / CRAFTER

22. @mscottford
FEATURE
BUILDER
RAPID
PROTOTYPER
SOFTWARE
REMODELER
EMERGENCY
RESPONDER
BETTER BIT
BY BIT
MENDER / CRAFTER
https://legacycode.rocks https://softwarecrafters.org
https://maintainerati.org http://themaintainers.org

23. @mscottford
THANK YOU!

24. @mscottford
CONTACT INFO
M. SCOTT FORD
scott@corgibytes.com
@mscottford
in/mscottford
804-596-2375 x701