RE: Pricing a project without access to the software

["Bonnie Granat" <bgranat -at- granatedit -dot- com>]

If (1) you didn't see anything that you think needs documenting, and (2) the
client hasn't explicitly told you what it wants documented, I think the
thing you simply must do immediately is *ask the client* what it wants to be
documented. Then go from there. I mean, how can you bid on something that's
in a black box? Makes no sense to me.


Bonnie Granat
http://www.GranatEdit.com
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: 
> techwr-l-bounces+bgranat=granatedit -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com 
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+bgranat=granatedit -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l
> .com] On Behalf Of Pippa Cohen
> Sent: Friday, September 19, 2008 6:51 AM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Pricing a project without access to the software
> 
> Hi All
> 
> I visited a (hopefully) new client this week, to discuss a project.
> 
> I was given a brief run through of a large application that 
> needs to be documented, just so that I could get an idea of 
> the system as a whole. I never got to see screens in any 
> detail, and I certainly didn't see every screen that needs to 
> be documented. However, what I did see seemed very intuitve 
> to use, and not too technical.
> 
> The application is Windows-based and requires a fair amount 
> of effort to install. The client is not keen to install it on 
> my laptop, for me to complete a detailed review and then 
> quote for the work (which I can understand at this early 
> stage), and for various reasons it isn't feasible for me to 
> do this on site.
> 
> Their preference is to generate a list of screens from the 
> database; a developer will then annotate each entry in this 
> list with a level of complexity, and it will then be sent to 
> me to quote (a fixed price) for the work.
> 
> I have never worked in this way before and am nervous about 
> quoting for something where I haven't been able to really go 
> through the system for myself - but I haven't been 
> freelancing that long, so I suspect this is the kind of 
> situation I will encounter more and more.
> 
> Ultimately, I want the work and so I want to do all that I 
> can to fit in with the client... but I don't want to set 
> myself up for a fall in the process!
> 
> Any thoughts and advice would be very much appreicated :-)
> 


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