DEVELOPMENT SERVER
Rules to Being Software Consultants - Dealing with Clients

Frequently when you are working on an ad-hoc basis or under tight deadlines managers or clients will "shoot from the hip" and ask for tasks without necessarily thinking much about them. Some of these tasks will be critical, some will be less so. It's important you don't waste time on unimportant tasks. There are plenty of important tasks to keep you busy!

If you think the task you have been given is going to take more than 2 hours, stop work, call the client and confirm they'd like you to keep going on that task. Sometimes the client will say keep going; sometimes they will say thanks for checking with them and ask you to work on something else.

If you can, don't wait until two hours is up before checking - check as soon as you realise it is likely to take more than two hours.


Figure: bad example: Don't keep working on a task until it's too late!


Figure: Good example: Calling the customer to tell them that "changing that function hyperlink is going to take more than 2 hours. Actually more like 2 days, do you want me to go ahead?"