Been there…

and done that!

This story over at ‘A step closer‘ rung true with me. I have encountered similar situations a few times, both with web projects and stand-alone one off programs.

You are asked to produce something (a website, a computer program, whatever) for a client. You discuss the work with the client, you even get the client to sketch out (using PowerPoint or something similar) a user interface.

You discuss what the end user will enter, and what processing needs to be done. You mock-up the interface (sample web page or a quick front end to the program), you write some test, non-’idiot-proofed’, code. The client tests things, it all works and the client is happy.

You produce the final product (polish the code, add ‘idiot-proofing’), send it to the client, along with the bill, and sit back and wait…..

The next thing you get is an e-mail (or a phone call) saying ‘That is great! You have done a great job, however, could we…..’ and then the ‘fun’ begins….

Moral of the story? Get version 1 out of the door, don’t make it look too easy to produce the product (so the client won’t think you can easily make changes on-th-fly), get paid, and run away…..