How To Manage A VB Project carried out by multiple people

[calvinchin]

Hi,

I just started a VB project, which contains 3 people where each doing a particular module of the whole project.

However, I'm facing problem now when to integrate the separate parts from the 3 people.

For example:

Programmer 1 - doing Part 1, control setup
Programmer 2 - doing Part 2, entry processing
Programmer 3 - doing Part 3, batch processing

Shall I combined all the parts and pass back to them?
- that mean, gather the completed seciton of control setup
from Programmer 1, the completed section of entry
processing from programmer 2, and the completed section
of batch processing from programmer 3.
- after I've integrated the parts, compiled and running
with no error, I'll combined part 1, 2 & 3 and pass back
to Programmer 1, Programmer 2, and Programmer 3.

Or Shall I continue on each person his/her own way?
- that mean pass back part 1 to programmer 1.
- pass back part 2 to programmer 2.
- pass back part 3 to programmer 3.


However, integration will be a problem when 3 person doing things on their own.

Hope any of you can give any idea.

Thank you.

Regards,
Calvin

 

[JJR]

Hi Calvin,

Use Sourcesafe, the source code manager from MS. Included with Visual Studio enterprise edition.

Take a look here

http://msdn.microsoft.com/ssafe/prodinfo/qa.asp

Jordi Reineman

 

[MickTheBelgian]

Let all three programmers as quiclkly as possible make empty shells; programs with only the exposed interfaces(empty public functions).
Pass these around and then everybody can start working.

 

[CajunCenturion]

A lot will of course depend on the what "combine all the parts" really means.

As a general rule, and perhaps just as important as functional requirements, whenever you have multiple parties participating on the same project where interoperability is an issue, its worth the time to make sure that the parties know when and how their modules will interact. Then take the time to clearly define, design, and document those interfaces. This allows developers to write their modules knowing full well how they need to plug into the entire system. The integration aspect of the project needs to be designed into the project from the start, just as you would a functional requirement. In fact, integration IS a functional requirement.

Does the project has specifications which include the programming conventions to be used for the project. Included herein would be documentation rules, variable naming rules, and similar guidelines to insure that the project is being developed by a team working together, rather than a group of individuals working independantly. With all parties working under the same conventions, you minimize the effects of every working on their own. You also provide a better opportunity for cross training.

Everyone will of course have their own style, but the winning team is not the one with a bunch of stars, it's the one that works together, each one knowing what and how their job fits into and is needed by the overall team.

If, in your situation, the interfaces are not defined, then rather than to just combine the three parts, you might to consider sitting down with the three programmers, explain how the parts need to be combined and work out of set of project standards for interfacing, involving the programmers, and then everyone can work together to bring the parts together, and continue the development with the integration issues in mind.

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[chiph]

One of the more useful techniques is to have a frequent "build", where everyone checks their code into the build machine and you try and turn the app into an executable. Do this regularly and on a scheduled basis, and you'll reduce the amount of pain experienced in integrating several people's work.

But as others have said, it's no substitute for proper design.

Chip H.

 

[calvinchin]

Hi all,

Thank you very much for your great suggestion and comments on my issue. The project has predefined some programming convention, so I'm now will try to use SafeSource to maintain the project, and I will also make frequent build so that they will see and feel the big results with other team members.

Thank you guys, your are great.

Regards,
Calvin