In 2006 I had the opportunity to work as a “project leader” into a small failing project. Three developers were working in an ad hoc basis, creating a software application for an important client (a government office in Lausanne), without any kind of detailed formal specification, without any kind of design documentation, and with strong pressure from the management to release the application, even if not in an usable state. Needless to say, the project was also beyond budget.

I had just joined this company a couple of days ago, and the management asked me to take the project in charge. Not an easy task, particularly because it was my first experience of this kind. Continue reading →