Sitecore and the Tree House

I recently got back from the Sitecore Symposium and MVP Summit. It was a great time and I am very excited about what is in store for Sitecore. But during my time there I couldn't help but think about a project I have going on at home. My daughter's treehouse.

The treehouse started as a simple 8 foot tall platform. But as projects go, scope creep set in. The platform is now 8 feet with a peak of 24 feet.

My father was a general contractor. I spent my summers on job sites learning the trade. I never went into construction professionally, but I did pick up a lot of skills that I still use today. Overall I think I just enjoy making things. I get to do that on the weekends with my construction projects, but I am also lucky enough to do that on a daily basis working in Sitecore.

I started thinking about the similarities between construction and Sitecore development.

Sitecore's core functionality is like having all the essential construction tools. It gives you everything you need to get past the basics and into complex work.

The framework's openness mirrors construction flexibility. Adding a window to the treehouse required minimal structural rework. Sitecore's extensibility gives you the same flexibility.

Development cycles parallel construction phases. You establish a platform foundation, then branch into specific sections strategically.

Both fields reward thoughtful sequencing based on resources and availability.

I think as developers we are 21st century technology carpenters. Sitecore gives us a fully equipped toolkit for creation.