A client sent me a request to build him a new report. (Using SQL Server. Don't ask.) Most of the request was specific enough, except for where he told me that he wanted me to include "the relevant financial values".
My level of domain knowledge isn't sufficient to know which financial values might or might not be relevant. (That's IT consultant speak for "I don't have the faintest idea how his business works, and I haven't got a scooby which columns to show him".) So I emailed him for clarification.
He came back to me, explaining that he wants to see the "appropriate financial values".
Ah, OK, thanks. I think a phone call is in order.
Posted to Software development by Simon Brunning at December 09, 2004 03:20 PMDon't call him, reply and say "Of course, how stupid of me".
Then just make some stuff up.
Isn't there some financial value you could pull from the web just for fun. The report will have all those specific requests he asked for, then maybe the current cost of a round trip flight from London to New York on British Airways booked one week in advance... When the client asks, just say, "I thought you said appropriate financial values!"