USA client have an idea to develop CRM software for their industry
Thanks to everyone who responded re: how to formulate
a doc plan when there are no specs. Here is why I
asked and it the story continues to go downhill:
The USA client is a brand new 3-person start up
initiative: developer, marketing type and financial
officer (with the bucks). They have an idea to develop
CRM software for their industry. They tell me that
they will go beta at the end of March and that they
want to release their final version, with
documentation (a system overview and 2 user guides),
end of April. Today is March 13; these people have no
idea of what it takes to produce documentation... what
do you think was my first clue?
It gets better. Having looked at th
Well, it sounds like an interesting and
challenging contract (to put it nicely). I think
you're right on in thinking you need to talk with
them, explain that 3 books in 6 weeks when the
product's still being "cobbled" together is
impossible, and work out some specific deliverables
you can provide for April's release. Get them to put
it in writing, and make the developer painfully aware
that you can't document what does not exist, and that
changing the product features after they've been
documented is counter-productive and that you will not
be responsible for misinformation due to "whimsy". If
they can't agree to these terms, it's probably best
not to take the contract.