Hello Larry,
Thanks for the response. I really thought there would be more responses.
Finding it on the 27 "page" tells me why. So many new topics are created
that quickly my little post just disappeared.
Larry Daugherty said:
More than any other thing, the cost depends on you.
The most satisfactory and cost effective result will flow from a
complete specification of what you want to achieve; everything you
want that will constitute completion of phase 1 of the project and
nothing more. Why phase 1? Because you will decide you want other
functions once the original delivery is up and running. You don't
believe so but you probably will. For one thing, you'll probably
discover that you've left some of the necessary functionality out of
your specification. For another thing, your business isn't static.
Your needs will change. Once you and your developer have agreed on
the specification, all new ideas or "changes" are to be accumulated
with an eye to an eventual subsequent phase. It is unfair to keep
hitting your developer with additions and changes (creeping feature
syndrome) and then feeling betrayed when you find that each change has
had a cost! New functionality that is "specified" in dribs and drabs
is incredibly expensive! When you're ready for phase 2 you then add
the delta between what you have in the original specification and what
you now want into a new specification. Get the agreement ...
I know about creeping feature syndrome. In my business it's a little
similar. They call me and tell me they want me to deliver a sofa and
loveseat. When I get there it turns into Sofa, loveseat, coffee table,
end
tables, an area rug these go on and some lamps and ornaments my clients
"just
had to have". Not so much "creeping", but it is an addition.
I think I have phase 1 down. I realize that there will be a phase 2. I
know that there will be changes to be made. But I'm hoping that the time
between phases will be pretty long.
If you want a truly expensive and unsatisfractory result, make the
developer coax and wheedle the specifications from you one at a time.
To really end up with a mess, combine that with overspecifying [which
you've already started to do, }
] what the tables will be, what the
fields will be, how sequence numbers will be generated (you Never show
Autonumbers). Those things are implementation details and are
entirely in the purview of the developer.
Hmmmm. Didn't quite think I was over specifying. I do, however, think
that
I must specify what information is to be stored. If I just say: "I want
delivery information stored", then I would imagine that the first question
would be: "What delivery information?". I mean. really Larry, can you
tell
me what information I want stored just by hearing "delivery information"?
Didn't think so.
You should still express your desires in terms of the general look and
feel. You must also specify the version of Access (if it makes a
difference to you) and the operating system(s) on which the
application must run. If you want graphics, be prepared to supply
them in a form that the developer can use to simply incorporate them.
That's usually just a simple graphic file.
For your specification, set the stage with a problem statement that
includes a description of the business processes the new applicaiton
will support. Below that level is the functional specification (using
Word in Ourline view can be cwery handy). You've already got a good
start on that one with the sketch of things you need to track.
God and developers know what all this means! But I'll give it my best
shot.
If you're seeking a proposal, decode my address and send me your
contact info.. Don't post your contact info into the hewsgroups!
H*E*L*L Larry, If I could decode your information. I would be developing
the application!
Ok, but enough of the developer bashing! Especially since you're the only
response I got! Here's a specification that I've come up with trying to
follow your advice:
I don't even know where to start. What the heck is "look and feel"? I
could care less what it looks like as long as I can see the information.
"Feel". Now you really got me there. I never knew I could feel something
on
a computer screen. Please explain this concept to me. Version? Any
developer worth anything would have the current version, I hope.
Operating
System? Now there's a question I can answer. Windows XP. Graphics?
None
needed.
Bear in mind: for my 1st post I wanted a ballpark figure. Problem
statement. Again, don't know where to start. So, I'll just go into the
business process. Come to think of it, I don't even know how to do that!
I get a call from a potential client. He tells me what he wants and I
give
him an estimate. Assuming he approves, the next step is to go and make
the
delivery. Sometimes the client adds items to the delivery. If it makes a
difference, then the price is adjusted. The delivery is made and the
client
pays. And then it's on to the next delivery. Sometimes the client calls
again and again for more deliveries. That's it. That's the whole
process.
Now, what I need to track, I don't know how to sketch it. I can, however,
outline it:
1. Client information:
a. Customer's Name
b. Address
c. Phones
d. Who referred by
2. Delivery information:
a. Date
b. Driver
c. Driver's assistant
d. Pick-up Address
e. Destination Address
f. Cargo
g. Mileage
3. Accounting information:
a. Charges
b. Discounts
c. Payments
Larry, is that what you're looking for? Now as far as decoding
information,
you're asking me to do something I know not how to do. If you can decode
mine, feel free to do so and contact me further.
