[slics]

As a developer myself for many years, I take the following steps for a new project: 1- Familiarize yourself with the application, by using / testing all its functions

2- Understand the workflows within the user interface and then map each one of the workflows / business processes to the logical code and the logical code to the database calls / tables.

3- Once you have built that mapping (tree structure) then you can tackle each one of those functions without feeling lost in the entire code baseline

4- As you work on each of the workflows/ business processes you can start comment the code in your terms

5- IntelliJ provides functions to conduct dependency mapping of the code, and database tables to make sure you don’t have circular dependencies.

6- Once you have completed the walk through and identified the workflows / functions / business processes you can than put a weight on each of those. Large, Medium, Small size.

7- After completing that sizing, sit down with your manager and help him understand what each one of those means in terms of cost, schedule and performance.

8- if none of the above is done, you will have a really hard time coming up with a way to explain to the manager what will it take or when will it be done and how many people will it take if they give you a date to finish. Just because someone wants something done in their time, doesn’t mean it can be done in that time.

Last thought: please don’t get discouraged, if you feel stressed and pressured already, you have lost the battle. Do the best you can with the tools you have, even if it’s not someone else’s best.

[jnxx]

Interesting. That sound like what is most helpful for a new developer is any information which would help him to do the mapping, to "connect the dots", is this correct?

I am wondering if it would help to have a document which takes the whole list of requirements from the requirements specification, and explains how each requirement is realized in the code. (Or of course, if it is still missing, in which way and where it is missing, and what would need to be done to add it).

[slics]

Usually requirements are at a high level and if the previous team broke them down further in (scrum terms) user stories it would be more beneficial. If the stories are not available, then I would consider looking at the complete/done requirements first then worry about the new requirements. The intent is for you to understand what the application does and what functions are executed while you perform a given business process / workflow.

(Edit) Forgot to mention one important factor. Make sure to build a good relationship with your manager so that he understands that you are doing everything you can to make this work. The conversation is better understood when the relationship is there. Keep him aware of the work you are doing so he understands it as well, and he will have the data upfront to share with the customers.