Method

Stages

The flow is not strictly linear: research can send me back to planning or architecture.

1. 01

   Idea

   The origin, inspiration, goal and basic reason for the project. When the idea builds on existing work, the inspiration and its source are recorded and kept separate from the own idea and its goal.

2. 02

   Planning

   What has to be created and what result must be reached: goal, scope, required components, required knowledge and the main development steps.

3. 03

   Research

   Answering the unknown technical questions that matter for the project, and nothing beyond them.

4. 04

   Architecture

   The structure of the system, built on the research results.

5. 05

   Implementation plan

   The main implementation steps and their order.

6. 06Decision point

   Readiness check

   Decides whether the idea is ready for real implementation. If not, work returns to research or planning.

7. 07

   Implementation

   Building the project in its own repository, with source code, tests and project-specific documentation.

8. 08

   Result

   The outcome is validated against the goal.

9. 09

   Publication

   Presentable projects are published with a project README; the portfolio shows a curated selection.

Languages, technologies and projects

A technology node describes a general concept. A language entry documents how the concept is implemented in one language. A project documents how it uses the concept and the implementation. Keeping them apart means a concept is written down once, and project-specific solutions do not leak into the general description.

Example: Python implements template-based document generation, which the YAML-to-LaTeX CV generator uses.

Research approach

Research never aims to learn a whole technology. It starts from a concrete project requirement and covers only what the project needs.

1. 01Project requirement
2. 02Unknown / technical question
3. 03Required technology
4. 04Relevant concepts
5. 05Targeted research
6. 06Prototype / validation
7. 07Decision
8. 08Technology node / project documentation

• Start from a concrete project requirement.
• Research only the parts of a technology the project needs; do not reproduce its full documentation.
• Validate with a prototype or experiment where possible.
• End with a decision, recorded in a technology node (general) or in the project documentation (specific).
• If a concept matters in several projects, it becomes a technology node; project-specific implementation stays with the project.
• Keep the general concept and its per-language implementation separate.

Readiness check

A project moves to implementation only when all of these hold:

• The idea is clear and the problem or goal is defined
• The desired result is specified and the scope is acceptable
• The research questions that matter are answered
• Critical technical uncertainties are identified
• The required technologies are researched and the required language knowledge is identified
• The basic architecture is defined and an implementation plan exists
• The technical or practical value justifies the implementation
• It is not just re-implementing a known example without a proper goal

If a criterion is not met, work continues in research or planning.