Science-Friction

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# Science-Friction

## <span class="hide">A (frictional) story about fighting<br/>friction in project development</span>

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# Science-Friction

## A (frictional) story about fighting<br/> friction in project development

-- who-we-are

# Trabe

* David Barral
* [david@trabe.io](mailto:david@trabe.io)
* Asís García
* [asis@trabe.io](mailto:asis@trabe.io)

# Some context

* Small company (13 people, today).
* 15+ years in the business.
* Developing for big companies with their own processes, software and stacks.

# What we do (mainly)

* React based frontend framework.
* Node.js microservices framework.
* Management apps, React + Java/Ruby on Rails.

# Objective

Share our 15+ years stories of science-friction.

# Disclaimer

## A bitter perspective 😅.

-- toc

# Everyday frictions

* Definition (or the art of BS)
* Domain knowledge
* Customer interaction / collaboration
* The environment
* Development process
* Tests, validation, quality assurance
* Documentation
* Support
* Refactoring and rewritting

# Definition
## ...or the art of BS

* Hard to have good meetings.
* Meetings with the wrong person.
* Lack of specification: RFQ or RFWTF?
* Crazy expectations. "This is so easy!"

1. Avoid meetings.
1. Find the right representative.
1. Be assertive: ask for more info.
1. Be assertive: point missing topics.
1. If nothing works: reject the project.

# Domain knowledge

* Domain knowledge assumptions.
* Lack of shared vocabulary.
* Detail hidden by generalization.

1. Don't be ashamed. If you don't know something, just say it.
1. Try to establish a shared vocabulary.
1. Do not assume. Confirm.

# Customer interaction/collaboration

* External management/micromanagement.
* Unilateral milestones.
* Team culture clashes.
* Customer idiosyncrasies: whiny-driven-development.
* Missing/bad/lacking dependencies.

1. Try to define red lines 😅. Manage your own team.
1. Be explicit about milestones 😅.
1. Do not mix teams. Be a good guest.
1. Be explicit about tradeoffs.
1. Ask for what you need as many times needed. Otherwise, use workarounds.

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# The environment

* Your env vs your customer env (multiple environments).

1. If the customer environment is acceptable, just use it.
1. If not, use our own, automate integration.

# Development process

* Different technologies and tools.
* Tooling that helps (but doesn't 😅).

1. If you don't master the technology: pass on the gig or be honest.
1. If the tools are a burden try to bypass them.
1. If the tools are "acceptable" just use them. Do not duplicate.

# Tests, validation, quality assurance

* Quality gates vs reality.
* Bugs and response times.
* Not all errors are created equal.

1. Favour quality tests over coverage.
1. Respond quickly.
1. Establish a framework to know what's critical.

# Documentation

* Customer's formats vs adequate formats.

1. There's nothing much you can do 🤷. Be convincing or just go with the flow.

# Support

* (Almost) Semantic versioning.
* People do not read.
* API pollution.
* Support channels madness.

1. Enforce semantic versioning.
1. Have good/complete/clear documentation.
1. Have good changelogs/migration guides 🤦.
1. Fight for your APIs 😬.
1. Try to establish a unique support channel (lost battle 😅).

# Refactoring/Rewritting

* No one pays for a refactoring.
* NO ONE pays for a rewritting.

1. Sometimes, you just gotta do it (for you).
2. Be convincing: sell your refactoring as a feature.
3. If the project needs a rewrite, and you can't, RUN, YOU FOOLS! <div style="transform: scale(-1,1); width: fit-content; display: inline-block">🏃💨💨💨💨💨💨💨</div>

# Summing up

* Working with others is hard.
* There's so much you can control.
* Be assertive. Be convincing. Avoid BS (oh! the irony!).
* Try to get your own way as much as possible.
* Try to keep things simple.
* If you can't, just go with the flow. It's just a job.

# Q&A

## Ask about anything related to software or Trabe.

# Hiring time!

## Yep! We are doing this.

# Looking for...

* Experienced React frontend developers.
* Experienced Node.js backend developers.
* Experienced Java backend developers.
* Novice developers.

# Perks

* Salary 20-30K+ based on level/experience + bonus.
* 100% remoting (if you want to).
* 37,5h weeks and 35h weeks during the 3 summer months.
* Health insurance. Remoting plus. Be.side, etc.

# rrhh@trabe.io

## Tell us about yourself

* What you can do.
* What you want to do.
* What you know.
* What you don't know.
* And, what do you expect from Trabe.

# Q&A

## Ask about anything about the job.

# Merry Cheers-mas!