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Feeling stuck on a never-ending software project (programming.dev)

submitted 8 months ago by yournameplease@programming.dev to c/programming@programming.dev

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Scene: Surprise meeting with the project owner 0-3 days before the go-live date

"Hey team, the business and I have decided to postpone the project release by n=1-3 months because [they aren't ready for it / it isn't finished /regulatory reasons]. And since we have some extra time now, we can tie up all the loose ends on this project (i.e., 'we've added n+1 months worth of backlog items to the MVP')."

I'm still a greenish dev, so maybe this is normal, but I've had the same story going on for over a year now, and it's really starting to burn me out. In the beginning, I was optimistic. Now I just hope for the project to fail, or me to get off somehow, but this thing just won't die.

Anyone with experience on similar projects able to share words of advice? Do they ever end up working out? Seems there's a death spiral, since we are always rushing to a deadline, forgoing tests and quality but never cleaning up our mess because we're already behind. Yet I somehow feel like I'm the crazy one for thinking this 6-month "quick" side project turned 2+ year half-rewrite will have trouble meeting it's Nth deadline.

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[–] Kissaki@feddit.de 9 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I don't have experience with that in particular. I'll share my more general, tangential thoughts.

MVP is minimal. Extending the scope like that makes me very skeptical (towards scoping and the processes).

Everything you are concerned with would be important topics for retrospectives, or even meetings with management. But of course those don't exist or are open in all environments. In my team I could openly raise such concerns.

If you're always rushing to a deadline, or feel like that, think of what you can do and influence to improve that. Retrospectives? Team disuscussions? Partly tuning out of management given focus and doing what you deem important and right? Look for a different team or employer?

[–] DmMacniel@feddit.de 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It turns from Minimal Viable Product into Maximum Valuable Product!

[–] Kissaki@feddit.de 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Or Modified Viable/Valuable Product