DrupalCon is a series of annual events under the umbrella of the Drupal Association that bring together the global community of Drupal users, developers, designers, and enthusiasts. The events serve as a platform for Drupal professionals to connect, collaborate, learn, and contribute to the Drupal project.
Official group picture of the DrupalCon Prague 2023. Original picture from the Drupal Association
Next week (17th-20th October) the DrupalCon 2023 is starting at Lille. I could ask ChatGPT to generate a text explaining what a DrupalCon is and what we do there but I guess there's enough AI content already out there in the wild. Instead, I will focus on original content, the one we will be offering to other attendees thanks to the two sessions that were accepted by the selection committee.
Both sessions are related to delivering complex and successful projects but with a different focus.
Software challenges from the manager's perspective
Delivering complex projects is a challenge not only on the tech side but also on the management side. Metadrop has a lot of experience in this because we are used to working with many different clients and agencies, each one with their strengths and weaknesses. Is key for us to adapt to each project without losing the good practices that allow us to deliver successful projects.
One thing is clear: most of the challenges originate in the relationship between the development team and management, specifically in the communication and collaboration processes, or rather in the lack of effectiveness of these processes.
Jorge Tutor has broad experience dealing with these issues and he will share strategies to overcome the most common challenges of this relationship. Unrealistic deadlines, poor requirements, inadequate resources, failing communication, not enough flexibility, moving scope, poor quality control and testing, and some problems with the team members like turnover and lack of recognition are the topics that will be covered.
Strategies for Overcoming Common Software Development Challenges: A Management Perspective, Thursday, October 19, 2023 - 11:30 to 12:15 (Room 3.8)
Making sure the site is working as expected
A complex project is, well, complex. It comprises numerous components that can fail, and intricate functionalities that may be affected by changes in requirements or developer errors – after all, we are all human and prone to making mistakes. It's unrealistic to simply assume that nobody will have an off day and overlook something, or that the developer team will consider every possible scenario when modifying the code.
Furthermore, it's not only important to ensure that everything functions as expected but also to ensure that the term "expected" holds the same meaning for everyone involved, from the developer team and product owner to the designer and manager.
Can we achieve both goals? Absolutely! Behat allows us to write tests using natural language, describing User Stories, while Behat handles the translation of these descriptions into actions on a testing site, thereby ensuring the site's functionality aligns with expectations. Because these "expectations" are articulated in plain language, everyone can comprehend them and be confident that they are on the same page.
Even if non-technical staff members don't delve into the tests, the developer team can eliminate ambiguity in requirements by virtue of writing the tests. These tests are essentially User Stories that precisely outline what a user would do. Any requirement that lacks clarity, any ambiguous user story, or any conflicting requirement can be identified during the process of creating Behat tests.
This session will serve as a workshop for learning how to use Behat from a technical standpoint. In the first part, I will introduce how Behat works, and the second part will consist of practical exercises to familiarize participants with Behat.
See you there!
DrupalCon is a perfect opportunity to meet people in real life, discuss Drupal, projects, challenges, life, and, why not, have some fun. Jorge and I will be there the whole week, so if you want to discuss anything with us, comment on our sessions, or just say hello, don't hesitate to do so. You can contact us on our Drupa.org profile or use the contact form on this site. We will be happy to meet new and old people from the Drupal Community while enjoying the sessions, BoFs, and the planned activities.
