Part 1. The ecosystem

There’s more to your application than code, but many tend to ignore the ecosystem when reviewing a brownfield project. Instead, they focus on the code, and that focus ignores the surrounding components that are a part of running a successful software development project. When used correctly, these components can create an environment in which any project has a better chance of succeeding.

As in any ecosystem, the health, growth, and potential success (or demise) of a brownfield project are determined by a number of variables working together. The code is only one of those variables.

Think of a tree growing in the desert. That tree has little water and a poor nutrient base from which to sustain itself. When any of us look at that tree, we realize that its prospects seem bleak. But if we provide it with nutrient-rich soil and a steady supply of water, the tree will have a much better chance of living a long life and providing shade to nomads. Although we can’t guarantee that it will live, we’ve taken significant steps toward its ongoing success by controlling those variables.

Now think about your brownfield project. There are a number of controllable variables in its ecosystem: source control, compilation, release management, and defect tracking, among others. The project interacts with these variables on a regular basis. The question is, are you working with those variables in such a way that encourages the project to flourish within its ecosystem?

Part 1 of this book is going to help answer that question. You’ll see examples and read discussions of several major variables in a software development ecosystem. We’ll show how poor management of these variables can lead to a brownfield project. You’ll also explore ways to encourage both yourself and your team to greater productivity. All of these things will be covered before we dive into the code.

As every project’s ecosystem is different, our discussion will center on fundamentals. We’ll eschew specific prescriptive advice for tool A in favor of a focus on the underlying issues that have traditionally caused pain in your brownfield project. Take the ideas here and think about them as they pertain to your current ecosystem. Apply them in such a way that they’ll provide richness to your project by creating the appropriate garden for it to flourish in.

The more that we can control these variables, the more easily our projects can succeed.