Question

I was wondering, when is the right time or the correct project size to start using project management applications ( like Redmine or Trac ).

I have a serious project, for now it’s only me developing, but I use redmine to set my project versions, issues, and estimations. I think it’s a good idea, because you never know when somebody else is going to join the team, and also allows me to organize myself effectively.

I ask this question because I was Teaching Assistant at my university for one year in a row for a course, and I got questions about this very very often. While I’m a believer of the KISS principle, I think that learning to use this tools early is a win-win most of the time.

I really believe that we can avoid this question to become argumentative, and that there’s somewhat of a consensus about this issue, which I consider quite important in todays software development world.

So, when is the right time ? what is the correct project/team size ?

Answer 1

When the project has reached a complexity level, either in management or code requirements, that all the members of the team cannot give instant answers to stakeholders about the status (immediate or projected) of the project.

What this means: you can start using management tools or the equivalent at any stage you like (here ‘equivalent’ means using a tool like Excel along with a burn down chart or similar). There is no line in the sand that somebody can draw and then say “once you cross this line you must use a management tool”.

You don’t have to justify using management tools, you simple have to justify the expense of them. Do they give you enough efficiencies to be worth what you paid for them, the time you invested in training, or the time it takes to use them?