Reply to: What's the worst gig you ever had?

[Mich the Tester]

I've had a few but because I use my real name its probably not best to go into them.

It's probably best not to tell everyone that Tony English is your real name.

[BoredBloke]

I've had a few but because I use my real name its probably not best to go into them.

[Sysman]

Reading these stories makes me realise how lucky I've been, though I will admit that in some places the thought of the invoices has kept me going. Most of my problems have come in the form of rubbish accommodation or being stuck in the middle of nowhere with a tricky commute.

The tale of the army bloke makes me shudder, and reminds me of an interview with a similar sounding type. He was telling me what hours I'd be working and which days I could work, when all along I knew that the client operated different hours and didn't take UK bank holidays off (this was a gig abroad). I'm glad I turned that one down.

[Zippy]

The first one. Crappy code which was edited in the live environment (testing seemed to be for wimps), a foul-mouthed dim-witted chav as a team lead and all the permies whinged about their jobs - constantly.

I'm not bitter though ....

[Gonzo]

Is there anything as sweet as seeing Clientco disappear into your rear-view mirror on the last day of a gig?

Yes, seeing the last invoice you send them get paid.

[Mich the Tester]

'What's the worst gig you ever had?'

THIS ONE.

[bobhope]

Is there anything as sweet as seeing Clientco disappear into your rear-view mirror on the last day of a gig?

[scooterscot]

Yeah, but the problem is this, once they explain what they want it makes sense and you appreciate it needs to be done, even though it wasnt in the original request. They are just no good at their job. If you go ahead and follow the spec blindly, you may as well buy a turban and a dodgy accent.

This is a problem and a half. In my current assignment the client has forgotten, or rather just not clearly specified their requirements in the SOW, now I can see this and I can see the end customer will not approve.

So what did I do? Clients really don't like been told what to do, it's a no no. Yet your there as a consultant. So it becomes a process of suggestion eg. perhaps this course of action would be more appropriate etc..

It takes years of you so it does but who else is going to pay me for my fantastic service?

[d000hg]

Did any of you guys consider submitting your war stories to thedailywtf.com? Sounds like there are some tales her to match the classics on their site...

[Gonzo]

Yeah, but the problem is this, once they explain what they want it makes sense and you appreciate it needs to be done, even though it wasnt in the original request. They are just no good at their job. If you go ahead and follow the spec blindly, you may as well buy a turban and a dodgy accent.

<SHAKES HEAD>

Change control people, change control.

Get the client to sign off the brief.

If they want to change it further down the line then that is fine, they just need to understand that changes have an impact on delivery date and / or cost. Get them to sign off the agreed changes too.

[EternalOptimist]

Moving goal posts - it happens every now and again

I get the client to sign to something these days. Next time it does not do what they expected I wave the signature in front of their face...

Yeah, but the problem is this, once they explain what they want it makes sense and you appreciate it needs to be done, even though it wasnt in the original request. They are just no good at their job. If you go ahead and follow the spec blindly, you may as well buy a turban and a dodgy accent.

[TykeMerc]

Moving goal posts - it happens FREQUENTLY

I get the client to sign to something these days. Next time it does not do what they expected I wave the signature in front of their face...

I'm not a software dev, but I often manage dev projects, getting sign-off for requirements, specs and features is critical routine, I won't initiate a work package until they're all signed off, agreed and understood.

I won't write out my worst gig since even thinking about it makes me want to utilise a molotov cocktail on the place, suffice it to say that the client actively threw up roadblocks for every viable solution to the problems they were paying me to get fixed. The one plus was that they paid very well and on time.

[scooterscot]

LOL. Classic.

That brings it all back. Which gig was that? I went for an interview at a big retail bank sometime in the late 90's. Exactly the same as above, but when I went in, I spent some time with the young lad who had been expected to develop this tool. I basically reviewed what he had done and said, nah, you're looking at least a six week redev here, but I dont have time. I told his manager as well and she asked me to put a spec together so they could give it to a contractor who had the time.

God I forget where.

Moving goal posts - it happens every now and again

I get the client to sign to something these days. Next time it does not do what they expected I wave the signature in front of their face...

[MarillionFan]

Worst ever was at a big retail bank. The manager in charge of the finance team had spent a year trying to get a simple application developed, but she had hired an accountant and sent him on a two week VB course. When she realised it was going to flop, they got me in to take over.
I read the spec and told them it was a six weeker. She introduced me to the steering commitee, the project management board, project manager, business analyst, testers and in infrastructure. All this for a six week job

Every day we sat down for a fifteen minute review, she was very impressed, it was doing everything required by the spec.
Every day I ask her, is there anything you expect to see here that is missing ?
'No its all fine'
End of week six, last day, evertything was ready for Monday go-live, she sits down and says 'lets give this baby a real thrashing. How do I get to the budgets ?'
'Er, budgets, what budgets ?'
'Obviously if we are reporting off the GL we need budgets'
'When you say obviously, it wasn't actually obvious to me at all'
'How long will it take to include budgets ?'


So I got a spec and we were ready to go live again, two weeks later.
She sits down and says 'great budgets. Now how do we export and import from Excel'
'Er export and import from Excel ?'
'Obviously we need to get the budgets in from excel and export them for amendment'
'When you say obviously, it wasn't actually obvious to me at all'
'How long will it take to include import/export ?'

'You would be better off asking my replacement because I'm outta here'

LOL. Classic.

That brings it all back. Which gig was that? I went for an interview at a big retail bank sometime in the late 90's. Exactly the same as above, but when I went in, I spent some time with the young lad who had been expected to develop this tool. I basically reviewed what he had done and said, nah, you're looking at least a six week redev here, but I dont have time. I told his manager as well and she asked me to put a spec together so they could give it to a contractor who had the time.

God I forget where.

[Sockpuppet]

I've never had a bad contract.

I just think of the money and smile.