Oprano Adult Industry Forums - View Single Post

Rox · 05-25-2004

Great points, Sarettah & Venturi. Here's how we try to get a handle on it (I say TRY, because the best-laid plans go awry - unfortunately more often than NOT):

We have a few analysis sessions up front with clients to gather their requirements for a project, which results in a Requirements Definition Document. The RDD lists in full detail everything the client expects from the project, along with a wireframe of the site or tool we're to build. The RDD usually goes through a series of revisions before the client finally signs off on it. Until there's an approval on the RDD, there can be no schedule or estimate; never mind any work begun on the project. This can be a long and arduous process, and the cost for the work it involves MUST be included in the estimate and budget.

The problem we seem to run into time and again is that the client has a launch date in mind (generally, in my world, tied to the release of a film or TV show) and they expect their project completed and up by that date no matter what. It's especially painful for my department (Interface Developers, DBAs and App Engineers), because we do the last bits of work on the front end and back end, so it's usually our part of the schedule that ends up getting compressed. It sucks when the original schedule allowed for four weeks in Technology (which includes time for thorough testing), and then for some reason art or copy gets held up and is delivered late and leaves only two in which to complete the project. That results in requiring other developers to jump in to help out, and having to work late nights and weekends to make deadline. Oh the joys of going to work every day to face 25 grumpy geeks with more to do than there are hours in a day!

I swear there must be some sort of vision condition that afflicts clients, Project Managers and Marketing folks, whereby they somehow look at a project schedule and under the department responsible for building their site and making it work they see "Magic & Miracles" instead of "Technology."

I blame that damned Harry Potter

05-25-2004	#15
Rox Members Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 323	Great points, Sarettah & Venturi. Here's how we try to get a handle on it (I say TRY, because the best-laid plans go awry - unfortunately more often than NOT): We have a few analysis sessions up front with clients to gather their requirements for a project, which results in a Requirements Definition Document. The RDD lists in full detail everything the client expects from the project, along with a wireframe of the site or tool we're to build. The RDD usually goes through a series of revisions before the client finally signs off on it. Until there's an approval on the RDD, there can be no schedule or estimate; never mind any work begun on the project. This can be a long and arduous process, and the cost for the work it involves MUST be included in the estimate and budget. The problem we seem to run into time and again is that the client has a launch date in mind (generally, in my world, tied to the release of a film or TV show) and they expect their project completed and up by that date no matter what. It's especially painful for my department (Interface Developers, DBAs and App Engineers), because we do the last bits of work on the front end and back end, so it's usually our part of the schedule that ends up getting compressed. It sucks when the original schedule allowed for four weeks in Technology (which includes time for thorough testing), and then for some reason art or copy gets held up and is delivered late and leaves only two in which to complete the project. That results in requiring other developers to jump in to help out, and having to work late nights and weekends to make deadline. Oh the joys of going to work every day to face 25 grumpy geeks with more to do than there are hours in a day! I swear there must be some sort of vision condition that afflicts clients, Project Managers and Marketing folks, whereby they somehow look at a project schedule and under the department responsible for building their site and making it work they see "Magic & Miracles" instead of "Technology." I blame that damned Harry Potter __________________ Visit my blog: ObnoxiousBitch - Trash Talk Today