HumanML_Write.ProjectPlan: Initial Proposal

HumanML_Write Project Plan 
Proposal
-----------------------------------

 

HumanML_Write, as it stands, is a program designed 
to create XML documents that conform to the several prototype schemas produced 
during Phase 0 of the project. It was written in Visual Basic Version 
6.

 

In the near future, I will create a Java version of 
HumanML_Write, and this will form the basis of all our future development 
efforts.

 

With the support of Ranjeeth, Kurt, and others we 
can make HumanML_Write a platform that will be a showcase for HumanMarkup 
technologies. Of course, the purposes of HM TC are not to develop software, but 
there is no doubt that a few sample applications or development tools will allow 
others to experience HumanMarkup in a more real and tangible way.

 

Why Extreme Programming?
------------------------

 

Extreme Programming takes OOP principals and applies them to the complete 
programming process. These methodlogies, adopted by many cutting edge software 
developers, seeks to streamline the software developing process. Note the 
following methodolgy was adapated from the rules and systems developed by http://www.extremeprogramming.org.

 

Extreme Programming 
Methodologies
---------------------------------

 

I) Planning

 

 A) Obtain "user stories"

 

 - Specific use case examples developed by potential users
 - 
Details desired needs to HumanML_Write cosumers and developers

 

 B) Release Plan Meeting

 

 - Discuss collected user stories and develop release plan for whole 
project

 

 C) Iterative Development 

 

 - Divide and conquer method
 - Create development schedule 
into about a dozen iterations of 1 to 3 weeks in length. 

 

II) Designing

 

 A) Focus on code simplicity

 

 B) Focus on consistent system metaphor

 

 - Team must name classes and methods consistently

 

 C) Class, Responsibilities, and Collaboration Cards (CRC)

 

 - Allows for greater team collabortation and input
 - Moves 
focus away from procedure to an object focus

 

 D) Periodic "Spike Solutions"

 

 - Create spike solutions to figure out answers to tough technical or 
design problems. 
 - A spike solution is a very simple program to 
explore potential solutions. 

 

 - When a technical difficulty threatens to hold up the system's 
development put a pair of developers on the problem for a week or two and reduce 
the potential risk. 

 

 E) Refactoring

 

 - When we remove redundancy, eliminate unused functionality, and 
rejuvenate obsolete designs we are refactoring.

 

III) Coding

 

 A) Focus on potential audience of users

 

 - All coding and design focus should stem from user stories, 
requirments, and needs of potential users

 

 B) All coding must be done according to agreed standards

 

 - HumanML_Write shall be written in Java for maximum cross platform 
compatabilty

 

 C) Code the Unit Test First 

 

 - Create a test for program's success prior to intial 
coding
 - Allows for outcome produced coding pratices

 

 D) Pair Programming 

 

 - Each task should be done by two programmers 
simultaneously
 - Not sure how this can be done under this particular 
context
 - Perhaps each coding section should be passed around between 
partners

 

 E) Code Intergration

 

 - Continuous integration often avoids diverging or fragmented 
development efforts

 

 F) Collective Code Ownership 

 

 - No one person controls or owns any single part of the 
project
 - Collective Code Ownership encourages everyone to contribute 
new ideas to all segments of the project
 - Any developer can change any 
line of code to add functionality, fix bugs, or refactor 
 -No one 
person becomes a bottle neck for changes.

 

IV)Testing

 

 A) Unit Tests 
 
 - Extensive testing to every class 
in the system prior to release
 - Code without proper tests may not be 
released

 

 B) Dealing with bugs

 

 - Must create an "acceptance test" first
 - This helps 
programmers to concisely define the problem

 

 C) Acceptance Tests

 

 - Acceptance tests are black box system tests
 - Each 
acceptance test represents some expected result from the system
 - Whan 
all acceptance tests are passed then, and only then, can the code be 
published.

 

 

 

------------------------- 
Joe Norris
HumanML_Write 
Facilitator