Designed by committee

[Plank]

*I should warn you linguaphiles, I think I went a bit overboard with the comma button*

Several months ago I made a database for a charity based on a specification their regional manager worked out with my line manager. I installed it on their computers, did a little powerpoint presentation manual, took them into our company's IT suite to have a go on a version with some random test data and told them if it wasn't right to let me know.

They got back to me and let me know a few things they wanted done differently, I was happy to help and made all the required changes, installed the new copy and went on my way. End of the matter? Whats this website called again?

Once or twice a week they would have a meeting and decide that it needed to do something else that frankly, they seemed amazed it didn't already do. Didn't I realise this extra functionality was clearly needed from the specification? (No, because I stupidly only put in what the specification said without reading between the lines, call me a crazy idealist if you want, but a specification, in my opinion, should specify specifically what you bloody well want). I soldiered on, adding and editing all amnner of shiny progamming trinkets, doing everything that was asked as quickly and correctly as possible, losing my sunny demeanor but at least keeping the politeness and faking the smile, I don't think they spotted the difference.

Now my line manager has received irate emails from their regional manager because they've been missing report deadlines (reports are automatically arranged and written by the database, with shiny graphs and everything) and losing funding. This is apparently my fault. All my effort has apparently been in vain, I was not quick enough acceding to their every whim. Yay!

At least my manager knows the hell they've been dragging me through and is unwilling to swallow their story. Definitly a nice bloke.

[Geek King]

Ah, Requirements Creep, bane of the modern programming company. We used to see this a lot at my first job. Sadly, the only way to fix this is to put a firm foot down and tell them, "If it ain't in the design doc, you're paying extra to put it in." You will hear a great deal of screaming and agonized cries when you implement this policy. Take them to mean you are doing what you should.

[Seshat]

Definitely!

You charged for the work in the specification. You did not charge for the additional work. You are no more required to add in additional features, than a builder is required to add in additional rooms.

You will hear screaming when you point this out, especially since you've been so accomodating in the past. However, the best way to get the point across is to use their own product or service against them.

In whatever manner works for you, basically show them - or tell them - what they're doing to you, but in their field. So in a shop, you get them to come to the sales floor with you. You pick up a bunch of stuff - for maximum effect, make it related stuff - and walk to the checkout. Act as if you're paying for items 1, 2 and 3. Then act as if you're going to walk out with items 4 and 5 as well.

When they object: "That's what you're doing to me. You're basically saying it should be obvious that if I'm buying flour, sugar and milk, I'll need eggs and cocoa as well. But the cashier is only seeing the flour, sugar and milk and only charging or those - as far as the cashier knows, I have eggs and cocoa at home.

"I only charged you for the things in the specification. So far I've given you X number of things for free, because I'm such a nice guy. But just like you can't hand stuff out to your customers for free and stay in business, I can't either."

[EricKei]

Sec,,,er, thirded...or something ^_^

Definitely put your foot down and make it clear that you need to charge for these changes. It's called a "Change Order" for a reason. If it was not in their original spec -- which they worked on with your company and approved -- it's billable as extra work thatr is outside of the scope of their original order.