Leading projects to success: Proven tips and strategies for developer

A successful project has multiple factors like project scope, resources, experience with similar projects, etc. Yet the pivotal role comes from the developer's abilities and experiences. An experienced and skilled developer can anticipate potential problems. Discover creative solutions, and carry out the job precisely and efficiency.

A project's success depends on the team's collaboration, working style, and communication. These characteristics provide a proficient team member, a skilled individual, and a smooth flow of work.

We require time working on projects and in teams in order to build knowledge and expertise. I'm going to share what I've learnt through working on projects and teams in this blog.

For individual

Set clear priorities:

Get a clear understanding of the project and its requirements, expectations, timeline, and budget.
Know what the project is trying to accomplish.
Prioritize the features and tasks most important for the project, and make sure the development team understands what should be worked on first.
Don't get ambitious with the features. Make it realistic and to the point. Approach the experimental feature after you get all the basics right.
When creating a project plan, we often misjudge the time to complete the project. If you are behind schedule, reconsider the priorities, and adjust the plan.

Make a checklist

Make a list of tasks and sub-tasks you want to complete.
Commit yourself to the checklist daily.
Making a list will give you a sense of progress and achievement. It is a quick and easy way to get organized. Besides getting organized, it is a trick to keep yourself fell motivated and less burned out.

Design-Code-Review repeat

Design a rough framework and architecture for the core module of your project. Then start coding.
Review your work with your team. Exchange ideas, experiences, and better approaches. Then move on to the next iteration. This iterative cycle helps to get visible progress in each iteration.

Don't get stuck

Let other members know about problems you come across.
If you don't have a team, reach out to forums, books, similar GitHub projects, etc. Explore the possible solution and alternative implementations.

Take Breaks

Never forget to take breaks. It gives you a fresh perspective.

Do not lose objectivity.

Sometimes we may lose objective in search of perfection. Understand your part of the project and its connection with other modules. As you work on the project, it starts to make sense.
Sometimes we have to surf away from details to get a bigger picture.

Learn from other's project

Scrolling through source code from open-source projects is a great way to learn industry standards and different processes for achieving the result. It is useful when we are stuck, we want an efficient way to implement some feature, or we want a new perspective in general.

For working with the team

Communicate clearly

Be sure to clearly define project requirements, timelines, and expectations for the development team. Make sure everyone is on the same page about what needs to be accomplished and when it needs to be done.
During feedback and comments, use simple language terms and examples to explain the problem or the solution.

Be flexible

Be open to changes. The team may come across obstacles. So be prepared to adapt to new information or change during the project. But some changes break the system. So be mindful of changes.

Trust building

When working in a team, we should trust others' work and abilities. If we are willing to lend a hand or an ear when needed. Then it will establish a culture of trust, openness, and inclusiveness.

Feedback and improve

Make sure you're available to answer questions, provide feedback, and address any issues that may arise during the development process. It will help the team to stay on track and make progress efficiently.
Be specific, respectful, and actionable in your feedback. Also, highlight team and individual achievements.
Always be open to new ways of approaching problems.