>75% of the web's server-side code is php. most of that is WordPress, but lots of people customize it, and being able to write your own themes, plugins, etc is a big deal
Microsoft's Office365 nicely clicks the links for you. Had this issue with Webhelp's emails where Microsoft was nicely cancelling the receipients transport by clicking on every Cancel link on the page and clicking on the javascript confirm link to cancel the transport within 20 seconds of their staff booking transport. Quite annoying. Ended up having to block large parts of Microsoft's IP ranges.
I joined a logistics company with a history of two unsuccessful outsourced software development projects. Their third attempt was also failing due to the developer prioritizing their own startup over delivering the contracted software. This resulted in unaddressed bugs, lack of client on-boarding support, and lack of the developer delivering functionality they were contracted to deliver.
I was brought on board to salvage the third system, but this proved unfeasible. As an interim solution, I built a system to enhance data from the third system, enabling the operations team to utilize it for planning and execution.
Collaborating with the CEO, we analyzed strategy, risk mitigation, and evaluated alternative vendors. Unfortunately, proof-of-concept trials were unsuccessful due to vendors not meeting our requirements.
To gain deeper insights, I initiated direct meetings with stakeholders at our client companies to understand their specific needs and business rules, recognizing the importance of minimizing localized exceptions while providing a solution that would work for all clients.
I then conducted meetings with the CEO and a key client to observe their utilization of the third system and pinpoint areas of success and failure from their perspective. Understanding client reporting and data needs is crucial, especially for those submitting reports to their local boards and international logistics teams.
I advocated for developing an MVP to automate manual tasks performed by control room staff, ensuring timely operations. The MVP was successfully launched first with a different customer and then rolled out to the original client. The original clients second site also adopted the system, and we transitioned from the legacy system during a holiday break. Benefits included reduced scheduling time due to zoning and suburb storage, resulting in significant time savings for planners.
Key takeaways include developing a comprehensive needs analysis document outlining your company's requirements, documenting business rules, noting pain points, and evaluating if the current system adequately supports business needs and figuring out what your wish list for a system is. You can then write a requirements document referencing back to the needs analysis document before starting to develop the software.
Software development projects fail when execs / management do not understand their requirements. Something they think is shiny today may not be tomorrow and their focus shifts.
