getting real

posts/2021/getting-real.mdx

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+---
+title: 'Getting Real 📔'
+date: '2021-12-16'
+---
+
+[Getting real](https://basecamp.com/gettingreal) is a book by the team at [37Signals](https://37signals.com/) about building software faster. 
+
+It has about 14 chapters and is around 171 pages long.
+
+### 1 starting line
+
+> defensive companies can’t think ahead; they can only think behind. They don't lead, they follow.
+
+build for yourself
+
+fund yourself
+
+- constraints force creativity
+
+fix time + budget, flex scope
+
+- pull back scope
+    - prioritization, reality, flexibility
+
+have an enemy
+
+- microsoft project 👹 vs basecamp 🧗
+- (Godin - be a better liar) [🔗](https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2005/05/01/8259747/index.htm)
+
+it shouldn’t be a chore
+
+### 2 stay lean
+
+less mass
+
+- mass is ^ by thick process, lock-ins, closed data formats, office politics etc.
+- mass is v by JIT thinking, less software/less code, less features, simplicity, pared-down interface, OSS, open data formats, open culture
+
+they can change their minds 🧠
+
+lower your cost of change
+
+- emergence
+    - emergent properties happen as a dynamic result of a system
+
+the 3 musketeers
+
+- use a team of 3 for v1
+
+embrace constraints
+
+be yourself
+
+### 3 priorities
+
+what’s the big idea
+
+ignore details early onw
+
+it’s a problem when it’s a problem
+
+hire the right customers
+
+scale later
+
+### 4 feature selection
+
+build half a product
+
+it just doesn’t matter
+
+start with no
+
+hidden costs
+
+can you handle it
+
+forget feature requests
+
+- read them then throw away
+
+hold the mayo
+
+### 5 process
+
+race to running software
+
+- get something up and running quickly
+
+rinse + repeat
+
+- work in iterations
+    - don’t expect to get it perfect the first time; let it morph + evolve 🦎
+
+from idea to implementation
+
+- brainstorm 🧠⛈️ → sketches → HTML → coding
+
+avoid preferences
+
+- preferences are evil as they create more softwar
+    - more options require more code
+- make the call
+
+done!
+
+- decisions are temporary so make the call and move on
+- ideas are just multipliers (max double digits) times execution (worth millions)
+- test in the wild
+
+shrink your time
+
+- are you facing a Big problem?
+    - break it down into smaller pieces
+
+### 6 the organization
+
+unity
+
+- don’t split into silos
+
+alone time
+
+- get 💩 done
+
+meetings are toxic
+
+- set a timer
+- invite as few people as possible
+- have a clear agenda
+
+seek and celebrate small victories
+
+- the most important thing in SD is motivation
+    - 4-hour quick wins (builds morale, ^ motivation, reaffirms team is → right direction)
+
+### 7 staffing
+
+hire less and hire later
+
+Brooks’ law
+
+> Adding people to a late software project makes it later (Fred Brooks)
+> 
+
+kick the tires 🚗
+
+- take potential new team members on a test drive
+
+actions, not words
+
+- judge hires on OSS contributions
+    - quality of work
+    - cultural perspective
+    - level of passion
+    - completion percentage
+    - social match
+- If you want something done, ask the busiest person you know
+
+get well rounded individuals
+
+u can’t fake enthusiasm
+
+- happy + average > frustrated + great
+
+wordsmiths
+
+- hire good writers (when deciding over a designer, programmer, marketer, salesperson, etc.)
+    - good writers know how to communicate
+
+
+### 8 interface design
+
+interface first
+
+- design interface before you start programming
+    - interface is your product
+
+epicenter design
+
+- start from core + build outward
+
+3 state solution
+
+- regular 💚 blank 🤍 error 🔴
+
+first impressions are important
+
+get defensive
+
+- when things go wrong
+
+context over consistency
+
+copy-wrighting is interface design
+
+### 9 code
+
+less software
+
+- each time you increase code, your software grows *exponentially* more complicated
+- keep code as simple as possible (KISS)
+    - big ball of mud 🟤
+- solving 80% of the problem for 20% of the effort is a major win
+- search for detours around writing more software
+- complexity doesn’t scale linearly with size  (ganssle group)
+
+optimize for happiness
+
+code speaks
+
+manage debt
+
+open doors
+
+- don’t seal in data, let it run wild
+    - RSS feeds, APIs
+
+### 10 words
+
+there’s nothing functional about a functional spec
+
+- don’t write them
+
+> A “spec” is close to useless. I have never seen a spec that was both big enough to be useful and accurate. - Linus Torvalds (from Linux: Linus On Specifications)
+> 
+
+don’t do dead docs
+
+tell me a quick story 🧙‍♂️
+
+use real words
+
+- use real words, not lorem ipsum
+
+personify your product
+
+### 11 pricing and signup
+
+free samples
+
+easy on, easy off
+
+- easy signup, easy cancellation
+
+### 12 promotion
+
+hollywood launch ⭐
+
+- teaser → preview → launch
+
+ride the blog wave
+
+- can be more effective than advertising, and it’s cheaper
+
+track your logs
+
+- leave comments on blogs
+- thank people for posting links
+- create ‘buzz’ page on site
+
+inline upsell
+
+name hook
+
+- short, catchy, memorable and run with it
+
+### 13 support
+
+feel the pain
+
+- DIY
+
+answer quick
+
+tough love
+
+- decided not to support IE5 (7% of market)
+- customer is right | customer isn’t always right
+
+in fine forum
+
+- people help one another
+
+publicize your screwups
+
+### 14 post launch
+
+1 month tuneup
+
+- issue major update 30 d after launch
+
+keep the posts coming
+
+- blog shows app is alive and makes your company seem more human ⛹️‍♀️
+
+all bugs are not created equal
+
+- some bugs are more important
+
+beware the bloat monster 👻
+
+go with the flow
+
+- be open to change
+
+### 15 conclusion
+
+### conclusion
+
+This is the 3rd book I’ve read from team 37signals ([remote](https://basecamp.com/books/remote), [rework](https://basecamp.com/books/rework)). I really like their philosophy, which is to keep it simple and move fast. 
+
+Amazon has a culture called [Day 1](https://aws.amazon.com/executive-insights/content/how-amazon-defines-and-operationalizes-a-day-1-culture/) which includes tactics like having a 2 pizza team, and [customer obsession](https://www.amazon.jobs/content/en/our-workplace/leadership-principles).
+
+Overall I’d give it a ★★★★☆.
+
+### additional reading
+
+- the pragmatic programmer - hunt
+- seth godin