There seems to come a point in every development project where the developer has to choose between implementing a technically proficient solution at the cost of missing a deadline or implementing a technically acceptable solution with the goal of meeting a deadline.
This is always a tough decision to resolve based on the fact that the creative and engineering aspects of a project tend to provide the greatest level of interest and value to its creator. However, oblivious to the inner workings of such solutions, the client puts their value (above all else) on receiving their product when scheduled. Sometimes the line is fairly clear in these situations when taking the road to proficiency is known to be experimental and possibly endless, but other times the line isn’t so clear.
When faced with such a decision, do you think it is better to satisfy one’s own personal appetite above the client’s, or do you think that the client’s expectations are of greater value than the proficiency of your work?
If you can explain what you’re doing and how it’s going to affect timeframes with a reasonably large heads-up (not the day before they think it will be done), it should turn into a debate of whether or not those changes are worth doing.
If everyone agrees it’s worth doing, timeframes can be adjusted without pissing anyone off.
Usually it’s not hard for a client to see the importance of changes… even if it means pushing the schedule back a bit. Having something “out there” that isn’t up to my personal standards really bothers me.
yep… always keep the client in the loop and make the choice theirs. Be sure that their choice includes agreeing to the extended deadline as well.
Deliver what you agreed, when you agreed AND (with reasonable effort) make it proficient! Don’t want to take any cr/\p … then dont try and sell it!
Go for it. Get the money. Then refine.
It depends. It sounds like you’re in the corporate arena. If so, then deadlines are sad but true, yet always off the mark. I’m lucky in that I deal exclusively with independents. If we need more time, I can sell them on it (99% of the time) and it always pays off in the long run from an inside sales and customer service perspective. But as Ritz mentioned, heads-up is necessary.
Get it done. Collect money. Improve it. Later, rinse, repeat.
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