Describing a Web Transformation project as a road trip analogy

For some of us, being in everyday situations will give us reminders of what we know, based on our working lives. I became aware of this before the end of my road trip to South Australia, as I started thinking about the trip itself, and the experiences, trials and tribulations that my family and I experienced. Sometimes, an analogy can be used to best describe a project or process to someone who may not necessarily know the finer points of that project/process. With this in mind, the road trip became an analogy to describing a web based transformation project, as described through the main stages.

Research

(Pre departure)

Before we left, we researched what we wanted to do (Proposed website requirement research), with the kids in mind (User persona research). We researched the trip and rest breaks (User journey), along with ensuring the car was mechanically up to scratch (Technical requirements) and ensuring we had the funds to enjoy the trip (Cost analysis).

Before we were on our way, we took stock of all the luggage and different types of baggage we were taking with us (Content audit). We figured out that at least a bag or two would make way during the holiday, which meant more goodies could be bought (Forecasted analysis). With a forecasted journey time of about 10 hours (including breaks), we figured we’d reach Hahndorf by 7pm (EST) if we’d left at 9am (Project timeline planning), meaning a few days of fun, running around and other stuff that my family and I can enjoy together (Minimum viable product)

Build

(Day 1)

We had left a little later than anticipated due to a later than normal wake up from my youngest son (Unforseen circumstance). As a result, timelines were changed (Timeline review of the first iteration in build phase). Having a longer than normal lunch, along with internet unreliability affecting Google Maps (Technical glitch) meant we got to the hotel room two hours later than expected. Entering the wrong search terms in Google Maps (SEO issues) meant instead of grabbing a hearty meal, we made do with something from the local servo. Complaints of the food from my eldest son (User/build feedback) meant in future we’d use different search terms in Google Maps, and try something else (Retro review).

(Day 2)

Early next morning we took a stroll around Hahndorf to see what was around town (Exploratory testing). We found some places were not family friendly for eating (Bug detecting), so we found places that were (Testing for solutions). We also picked up the first of many souvenirs, and figured we had a lot of space to fill and hadn’t touched our budget as yet (Trial load testing). We also went looking around for different places to eat that evening, reading their menus outside (Content reviewing) and also toured around the surrounding areas, taking in the views and discussing the scenery (User Interface evaluation). Later on, we decided to go to a restaurant in the area, and found ourselves satisfied (Content approval). We also decided upon what we were going to do the next day (Production review), and discussing the day’s activities (Retro review).

(Day 3)

The third day (Build iteration) saw us at a kid’s animal farm, and we were soon met with hungry goats, that decided to eat the food we had for them in our pockets, which meant going to get more food (Additional budgetary expenses). My youngest son had fun in a pen with some young lambs, who seemed to have as much fun with him as he did with them (Compatibility testing). After the kid’s farm, we travelled to Adelaide Zoo and spent the afternoon looking at the animals they had on display. That evening, we spent a little time in Port Adelaide, reviewing the different dolphin tours they had on offer (A/B testing) when we spotted a few dolphins making their way through the bay. That evening, we discussed the day’s events, and planned for the next day (Retro review)

(Day 4)

The fourth day saw us driving through the Barossa Valley, stopping off at some wineries along the way. We found the first few weren’t suitable for families (User acceptance testing). We also managed to get lost along the way to a few more due to misunderstanding some of the road signs (Taxonomy issues), but we did end up finding a few that were family friendly, and made a few purchases there (Successful site testing of an eCommerce feature). Earlier issues were taken into account for the trip back to the hotel, which allowed us to make a more successful trip back to the hotel later on that day, without getting lost or taking the wrong turn. At that stage, it was time to pack everything that night for an early drive home the next morning (Final content audit prior to Go Live). That said though, there was one last thing to do before the trip home (Final testing)

Go Live

(Day 5)

The final day saw us in Mount Barker checking out op shops without any background research (Exploratory testing). We found out that there were up to 8 op shops (Feature detecting), and promptly checked them all out, comparing them in the process (Content consistency checking). After the morning’s activities, we realised that we were going to leave later than anticipated (Delay in deployment), so we decided to get going, spending the next 9 hours on the road (Deployment). Not everything went to plan though, as the kids got grouchy and had their tantrums at different stages and places (Site behavioural issues across different browsers). We got home closer to midnight, but enjoyed our time away overall, recalling the activities we completed, the experiences we shared, and the places we visited while we were away (Feedback and review).

Sometimes as professionals, we may seem to be on holidays, but we’re not really on holidays at all. Sometimes the best way to discuss what we do to those not familiar is to package it into something more understandable. Sometimes when we’re away from our desks, we’re at our most creative. So my advice to anyone who hasn’t had a holiday in a while- take some time off; besides recharging ourselves, you can look at our lives or existing work-related issues from a different perspective, make some interesting observations and perhaps find the answers you seek!