How not to write a Project Proposal

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12-13-2009
Mario F.

How not to write a Project Proposal

Never, ever (but absolutely never!) try to write a software proposal without first having had meetings with the customer/client/boss/department/whatever in which you described by words and face-to-face much of the little things that will define your project.

And if by any chance you are caught in a bind like I was and have no choice but to write the damn 30 page wall of text explaining every little thing the program will do (not to mention you will still need to write the development contract), don't be a greedy bastard like I was and simply refuse to go on without first having those meetings.

I'm on the 4th day of writing this #"#$@ proposal and I think I had my share of Word and Visio for the rest of my life. I'm tired, I want to cry, my eyes hurt and I feel like I'm stupid.

So... don't do it. You gonna regret it. Badly.
Everything is easy when we were just thinking about it. Think about it.
12-13-2009
novacain

Ever worked to ISO standards?
Hours of paperwork to change a spelling mistake.

I have to write (among other things) FAT and SAT test plans for mission critical asset protection systems, 30 pages is short.

At least your 'meeting' will not be 250 km down a dirt track (1,500 Km from your home), in >40 C, with you as the only source of moisture for a kilo of flies.

Though I sometimes prefer the companions in the outback to those in my client's offices...
12-14-2009
abachler

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mario F.

Never, ever (but absolutely never!) try to write a software proposal without first having had meetings with the customer/client/boss/department/whatever in which you described by words and face-to-face much of the little things that will define your project.

HAHA, yeah been there :D My old boss was dead set against any kind of documentation like a design doc or a requirements doc. After a while he didn't even want to do the meetings. Needless to say it ruined more than one project and cost us quite a few customers, who have experience with actual professional developers and knew his fly by night attitude was fail.
12-14-2009
jeffcobb

Been there too; had to write FDA software regression testing for a software/hardware combination....woof. I learned a new curse-word everyday and prayed the PTB would learn to accept the value of TeX...