Re: FWD: need advice from contractor (fwd)

[Chris Kowalchuk <chris -at- BDK -dot- NET>]

You are in an unfortunate situation. Sometimes, when we land a big job,
we feel this sense of gratitude or something, don't want to rock the
boat, flounder along not getting anything done because we don't feel we
have the authority to make demands etc.

Switch hats. You are a consultant whose time is valuable. Your client is
wasting your time, and its money. Take the time to work out your version
of a schedule and project plan, given the information that you have, and
take it to whoever you report to, preferably to whoever is paying the
bills. You say:

"I am supposed to get x, y, and z done by such and such a date. Here is
what I will need. Here is how soon I will need it. Here is what is
happening now. Give the client the options:
1.  people start cooperating and you get the tools/access you need, and
the project goes ahead.
2. the status quo continues, and the client may either:
a. put the deadline back, until say, hell freezes, but continue to pay
you each week, or
b. admit that they don't really want documentation, and save a whole lot
of money by letting you go right now, because you will not be able to
fulfill expectations under the current circumstances.

One way or another the problem will be resolved, and at the very least
you will have made it clear up front what the problems are, and now
there is something for you and your client to discuss. If you let it go
much longer, the fault becomes yours for not speaking up, and then when
things don't work out, you will have to take the fall. I've been there.
It is no fun at all, causes stress-related disorders etc.

Be honest; stick to your guns. Your client will appreciate it, and see
that something needs to be done. If they don't appreciate your
assessment, and don't want to cooperate, then you can bet that nothing
good was going to arise from that situation, and you might want to opt
for option 2b (above), or option 2a, but at least you made yourself
clear early.

In the mean time, don't just sit at your desk sending out e-mail. Go up
and talk to the folks face-to-face. They may have stuck you six floors
away, but that doesn't mean you have to stay there, only that you have
to spend more time in transit. Bring the old notebook. Explain what you
are doing, why you are there, and the process you are using to get
information and produce doc. It's hard to object to someone doing their
job, once the objectives and needs have been explained. Make sure the
business analysts see that you are a real, physical person, whom they
have to deal with, and not some remote problem they can easily avoid. In
short, go to the management and insist that proper communications be
estabished, and then, regardless what management does, go and
communicate. You'll either get the job done, or they kick you out. If
the latter, you weren't going to get the job done anyway....

Chris Kowalchuk


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