This is tangential to the ongoing discussion about consulting assignments,
but does have its value in that debate. Several years ago, I heard an
answer to the oft-stated advice, "Just give the customer what s/he wants,
and you will succeed." The retort: Here is what the customer wants --
flawless, state-of-the-art products (or services), for free. (If anyone
knows the source of this quote, please post it here -- I do not have it.)
This retort is germane to the discussion about giving the customer what
s/he wants. First, we must determine how much of what the customer wants
we can actually afford to deliver. It will be something less than
flawless, state-of-the-art products, for free. How much less will depend,
I suppose, on our own efficiency and effectiveness. Second, I would assume
that if the customer was _always_ right, and knew exactly what was
required in a particular situation, they would not need a consultant.
-- Jack H. Walters, Ph.D. jwalters@gate.net +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Much is too strange to be believed, but _nothing_ + + is too strange to have happened. + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++