IT and shifting goalposts (Dilbert strikes..)

[gummigut]

answered in such a way that they raise more questions than answers.

 

Then the questions aren't of the yes/no variety.

 

You are making the assumption that our client is rational. He isn't.

 

That's why I wrote, "Business is like war. Some battles are worth giving up freeing your resources to be more productive elsewhere."

 

Short-term, use the guy for the cash he brings in but get yourself some quality clients! Then you've got leverage to either tell the guy to go to hell or tow the line. In the long run, maintaining the relationship is a drain on management and, more importantly, detracting from your most important resource: Your people! I don't see how anyone can feel fulfilled, happy, or challenged working on a project for this guy if he's such a maniac.

 

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[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

"Then the questions aren't of the yes/no variety."

 

Correct, but even a question like "Do you like black?" gets answered with "You are designers, come up with something nice".

 

"Then you've got leverage to either tell the guy to go to hell or tow the line."

 

Which is exactly why we are now developing our own software.

 

"I don't see how anyone can feel fulfilled, happy, or challenged working on a project for this guy if he's such a maniac."

 

Correct, not possible. Funny thing is I almost feel pity for the guy as he is his own worst enemy.

 

Sanuk!

 

[buddha]

Then there is always the 'additional person' concept. You know this one. Person a puts forth all of his input and sees the project and is satisfied. He then shows it to his boss who says something silly like:

 

'Great, I love it, but can we slap a logo here, and change the background to black?'

 

These changes are completely out of the scope of the original project. Sign off has been made. This hurdle was crossed weeks ago in the design phase. The new additional eyeballs on the project however carry some seniority and have to be dealt with.

 

Certainly not a problem on your side KS, I have dealt with similar clients. Make sure you charge accordingly, and try to keep morale up with the employees as 'continual ridiculous changes' are morale killers.

 

When I have clients like this I sometimes leave glaring errors such as really obvious mispellings that will contain and guide their 'I gotta change something each time' mentality.

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

Hey, have you been dealing with the same guy

 

As for moral, we know we are doing the best we can do and most people on the client side do appreciate it. From an email today: "Overall though it is starting to look really good (and thank you to the Thai team for all the effort)."

 

Sanuk!

 

[gobbledonk]

but get yourself some quality clients!

 

Jesus, Gummi, if only all of our problems were so easily solved ! :smirk:

 

Seriously, I have little doubt that 98% of technical people would agree that the purely technical issues on a given project pale into insignificance next to the people issues. I'll take it on the chin that 'geeks arent much for interpersonal comms' (even if its a hideous stereotype ), but a lot of us dont have the luxury of a 'relationship manager' to handle the to-and-fro. Personally, I go to meetings where a stack of 'chiefs' nod sagely about the need to implement no-brainers like a decent corporate intranet (for the love of God, its 2006 ..), but the nodding stops when its time to implement a few action items. Our team gets the *vaguest* of specifications, and many of the powerbrokers are complete jellybacks when they get a complaint from a peer or superior : the end result is that we work back 'fixing' an app that seemed to work perfectly when it was launched.

 

Anyone who has ever worked in Higher Ed will know what I'm on about, but it seems to happen across the board - government, stockbroking, payroll - so I guess I'll just have to live with it. Thursday is payday, and the pain will be forgotten for that one magical day in 14.

 

Happy Trails,

 

Artie