At 05:57 PM 2/28/2004 +0000, you wrote:
> >I prefer to work out the estimated hours and quote a fixed price if
> >the specifications are well defined. Be careful on this, it can kill
> >you if there is feature creep or if there are a lot of unwritten
> >requirements that pop up just as you think you are done. Your week
> >could turn into three, over 4 or 5 calendar weeks, which means you
> >would be making better money, with less stress, heaving bricks around
> >or something. Add a bit for contingencies too. Things *always* come
> >up.
>
>A good way of reducing this problem is to write your interpretation of the
>spec and get the customer
>to approve it. I have NEVER had a spec from a customer that has been
>sufficiently complete and
>detailed.

This is a bit of a judg[e]ment call- you don't want them to take your
'improved' spec, which possibly indicates a direction for the "hows" as
well as the "what"s, and shop it, which does happen. Depends how big
the ambiguities are, of course. I prefer to clarify issues verbally,
which also gets across that I understand their requirements in detail
and can do exactly whatever is require in a predictable time frame,
and prepare something that represents the "whats", mostly parroting their
spec, and, of course, gives the bottom line.

>If they then want 'extras', if possible, convince them to accept delivery
>of the 'basic' version
>first, then add bells & whistles later.

Yes. You can put the hooks in and implement it later.

Best regards,

Spehro Pefhany --"it's the network..."            "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com             Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog  Info for designers:  http://www.speff.com

--
http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different
ways.  See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.