As Circaevum is a tool to highlight natural cycles, this is a place to consider a framework for a somewhat automated, cyclical software development process.

Annual Development Cycles

Okay, main approach is to come up with a very high-level plan for each development cycle. For now, we will structure this as 1 year. In this year, we will define overarching goals that we want to achieve. The goal for 2024 has been to develop a version of Circaevum for the Apple Vision Pro, and that is nearing completion.

Some high-levels goals for 2025 would be:

Update Desktop and Quest versions to maintain consistent accounts with Apple Vision Pro
Find a hackathon, conference, or other complex event to build out a catered experience for
Develop a system for proper account configuration and management (website?)

The general plan is to align these developments with the seasons as follows:

Spring: Planning and Initiation

Activities:

Strategic Planning: Define project goals, scope, and objectives for the year ahead.
Requirement Gathering: Engage stakeholders to collect and analyze requirements.
Resource Allocation: Assemble and assign team members to projects.

Outcome: A comprehensive project roadmap and a prepared team, ready to embark on development.

Summer: Flexible Development

Activities:

Core Development: Focus on building and coding primary features.
Flexible Scheduling: Accommodate team members’ vacation plans to maintain work-life balance.
Mid-Year Assessment: Evaluate progress against goals and adjust plans as needed.

Outcome: Significant advancement in project development, with core functionalities progressing steadily.

Autumn: Testing and Refinement

Activities:

Comprehensive Testing: Perform unit, integration, and user acceptance testing.
Bug Fixing: Identify and resolve issues uncovered during testing.
Documentation: Prepare user manuals, technical documentation, and training materials.

Outcome: A polished product, thoroughly tested and well-documented, ready for deployment.

Winter: Reflection and Celebration

Activities:

Post-Deployment Review: Analyze recent project outcomes and gather feedback.
Team Celebrations: Organize events to acknowledge achievements, such as your annual ski trip and birthday celebrations.
Skill Development: Encourage team members to pursue training or certifications during this period.

Outcome: A rejuvenated team with valuable insights, ready to plan for the upcoming year.

Given this approach, I’m currently in the Wrapping-Up phase of the Apple Vision Pro build. I should have deployed it by now, but here we are. I give myself until the end of the year to wrap it up, and will spend the remainder of Winter sharing it, getting some users, and assembling a team for the 2025 cycle. If I can squeeze in the deployment of it for the MIT VR Hackathon in January, perfect!

Alternative Incentives