Planning and High-Level Design

Abstract

It’s entirely by design that we spent the better part of the previous chapter discouraging too much up-front planning. But please don’t call us hypocrites now that we’re offering you an entire chapter that covers the planning and pre-project process. The reality of the situation is that it can be to your advantage to do a little work up front before digging into the development stage. Every project you embark on isn’t going to be crystal clear; you will more than likely end up working outside your comfort zone on more than one occasion. Although it’s easy to get a general feel for most projects, there will undoubtedly be specialized areas in which you will need to consult a subject-matter expert. Your clients may or may not have some idea of what they’re looking for; and even then, after talking it over with them you may come to the realization that their vision of what they want makes absolutely no sense for their end users. The temptation might be there to simply do what the client wants, collect your paycheck, and walk away; however, it’s far more fulfilling to work on projects where you can see the value that will be produced and where people will actually use the product you produce.