[thelist] Business/Payment Question........

[John Corry]

|you don't have a scope document with client sign-off?  project
|plan?  even a cost estimate?  if not, then yeah, what do you expect
|them to say when you go over budget?

Yes.

But it doesn't matter. The ones who want to b e difficult about this will be
difficult. The cheap ones will be cheap. I can wave their signoff in their
face and 'prove' to them that I'm 'right', but what good does that do toward
creating a trusting, happy client/services provider relationship?


|ok, then why would your client be surprised at a cost?
|
|i think we're well beyond the theme of the original post, that we're
|more into just a costing discussion now...

agreed.

I'd love it if you'd write an article on IA, managing project scope and
keeping everything rolling along on schedule and on budget. I am under the
impression that you are particularly skilled at this facet of the business
and would love to see how you do it. I also suspect that your process would
be compatible with my personality type...but that's subjective.


|well, you don't have to use *my* finger...

lol.

|btw, what does the "working professionals" statement mean?  i
|have this sneaking suspicion you have no idea what i do for a
|living... chicken plucking doesn't pay too well, after all...

It means that everyone here works in this field. Everyone who responded to
her post has experience in this arena.

I have a sneaking suspicion that you manage a high volume web development
firm.

|
|where have i gone wrong?

Nah. You're alright. Of course, you *are* a dick, but that's nothing to
worry about.

I do hope you'll consider an article outlining AS's development process from
needs determination to project scope decisions to budgeting/bidding.

Many of us here have been thrust into these positions with only common sense
as our guide. I didn't go to business school and don't even have a halfway
decent set of people skills, client management is a weak spot in my
business. After being a independent consultant for 3 years I'm starting to
learn (slowly) how not to get burned.

I think I got mad at your cavalier way of just matter of factly dismissing
the thoughts of me and Erik, thoughts that are the product of *real world
struggles* with these very issues. I bought the right to give Sandi that
advice with agony man, paid for it with blood, sweat and tears...and you
come along and just say, 'Oooh, don't do that! That guy really needs to work
on his scope/bid/client management skills'. Guess that's more of a personal
development issue than a web development issue.

Anyway, sorry for the vibe.

jpc