How to Start a Massive Project

Starting a new project is never easy. There are so many steps, and so much to do- where do you start? What should you prioritize? What if the product doesn’t end up the way you expected? These are all questions that usually comes to mind when a developer starts the project. Even with this doubt, most developers do know what to do and how to do it- they just don’t have a clear plan of how to do it.

Break It Up

The first task is to break up the project into manageable steps. These don’t have to be specific to programming- they just have to give you some roadmap to follow as you progress through the project.

Try to visualize the steps you want to take to get to your end goal- what do you have to start with? Where do you go next? How do you want to slowly build up the project? As you think, ideas will begin to flow. This is the hardest part of the process- the rest is based off of your timeline.

Modularizing

The next step is to break down each major tasks into smaller tasks. This is where you can get more specific- using terms and techniques related to the field of the project.

For example, if one of the major tasks of a programming project was to develop a database, then a potential module of that section would be to create a database search function. As a rule of thumb, these modules should be easily manageable in a day to a week, depending on the size of the project.

Timing & Dates

Once you have your modules and sections set up, you can begin to establish a timeframe to complete your project in. This will vary from project to project, as some projects require more time than others.

The easiest way to complete this step is to look at each module or section, and decide a date or time to complete it by. Do this for every module, making sure to account for stops or potential obstacles in the project.

Remember- you do not have to follow these times exactly. They only serve as a reference to see if you are on track, and shouldn’t be used as deadlines.

By following this four-step process, you should be on your way to crushing large projects with ease.

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