Customer myths

Customer myths:
A customer who requests computer software may be a person at the next desk, a technical group down the hall, the marketing/sales department or an outside company that has requested software under contract. In many cases the customer believes myths about software because software managers and practitioners do little to correct misinformation. Myths lead to false expectations and, ultimately, dissatisfaction with the developer.

Myth: A general statement of objectives is sufficient to begin writing programs – we can fill in the details later.

Reality: Although a comprehensive and stable statement of requirement is not always possible, an ambiguous statement of objectives is a recipe for disaster. Unambiguous requirements are developed only through effective and continuous communication between customer and developer.

Myth: Project requirements continually change, but change can be easily accommodated because software is flexible.

Reality: It is true that software requirement change, but the impact of change varies with the time at which it is introduced. When requirement change are requested early, cost impact is relatively small. However, as time passes cost impact grows rapidly – resources have been committed a design framework has been established, and change can cause upheaval that requires additional resources and major design modification.