[Asterisk-biz] A question about ethics, I suppose

[Paul]

Michael Giagnocavo wrote:

>I know a lot of people have bashed requirements and specifications
>documents, seeing them as just junk that slows you down. Yes, it takes time.
>But without it, no one is quite sure what they're building. If you're
>writing a 3 hour hack job, that's one thing. But anything more involved than
>a day, and there has just GOT to be a clearcut expectation. Sometimes
>clients don't want to pay for intangibles like a project manager. 
>  
>
There are a lot of people trying to get into high-tech business who 
don't understand the difference between a sales proposal and a first 
draft of the project roadmap and budget. Some of them post on these 
lists seeking a consultant. They have no clear requirements and 
specifications but they want an estimate. So I tell them something like 
5 to 10 hours is needed just to study it and get that first draft. They 
object because thye don't understand that 5 to 10 hours might tell them 
whether the project is in the $10k, $100k, $1m class. I recently made a 
decision that I am no longer going to work for people who refuse to do 
anything the right way. No docs, no backup, no security policies, etc. 
makes me look almost as bad as the bozos I am working for. If you work 
for people like that, you are working for losers. It's always harder to 
get paid by losers.