Tempering Client Expectations (OT)

[Mark Lawrence]

[Big snip]

> Heh, my wife and I joke that in those "can this marriage be saved" 
> newspaper columns, every answer boils down to "communication is key".  
> Keep the customer tightly in the loop with regular communication -- 
> frequent feedback regarding progress, costs, and whether your shared 
> understanding coincides helps prevent developers from wandering off for 
> 6months only to come back with 6mo of costs for a project that doesn't 
> meet the client's expectations.  The customer may cut you off if 
> progress is too slow or costly, but the earlier that happens, the less 
> pain for both parties.
> 
> -tkc
>

You've obviously never worked on a UK MOD contract.  By definition,
everything has to be delivered at least five years late and millions if not
billions overspent.  Still, it's only taxpayers money.

Going OT a fair way, for those who don't know, I quote from an MOD QA 
guy that I spoke to.
<quote>
Her Majesty's Government never buys anything that has faults in it
</quote>

Hence when a Chinook flew into a mountainside killing umpteen highly 
skilled people, it was put down to being pilot error, despite the fact 
that it was completely against regulations to blame the pilot when there 
was no evidence to back it up, plus the minor little detail that the 
engine control system FADEC was already suspect.

The UK magazine Computer Weekly fought a long and hard battle to protect 
the pilots name.  They might as well have hit their heads against a 
brick wall.  Democracy, please don't make me laugh.

Oh, and see this http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2010/01/14/239954/
faulty-safety-critical-software-changed-after-fatal-mull.htm

Kindest regards.

Mark Lawrence.