Q: When is a programmer not a programmer?
A: When he (co)owns a business.
I've found myself, again, spending a bunch of time writing project proposals. I've created a template that follows a format that I really like, but the downside is that I've painted myself into a corner of sorts, having set the standard previously.
I remember the project proposals that Peter would write when we worked at PACC were quite detailed, but in the wrong areas. He'd always outline the fields on the form and the matching database structure that supported it, and I always thought that was dumb. Clients don't care about that kind of thing, they want a "contact form" and expect it will have all the necessary details. Listing these fields for your developers shows you don't have confidence in them that they can work out what's needed on their own. Maybe that was the case? :)
Instead, in my project proposals, I focus on using text to describe how a software project will work and what you, as the client, can expect. I also spend a bit of time going over the history we have with the client (that is, how I got to be writing the proposal in the first place) and what The Frontier Group's experience is with similar projects. So far it's worked fairly well for us.
It also gets the client in the mindset that they're not making any technical decisions. That's my job. I tell you how it's going to be, with respect of course.
All these words reminds me of year 12 English Literature, but the difference is my essays back then weren't worth $12k each.
When I got project proposals from PACC they were one page Word documents, and I had to ask the rest by email or guess.
I recently received a Project Proposal from IBM that did what you said “I also spend a bit of time going over the history we have with the client (that is, how I got to be writing the proposal in the first place)”.
IBM started describing their experiences with West Australian Networks (http://www.westnet.net.ai).
Unfortunately that isn’t our company…
Nether less to say, we didn’t accept their proposal ;)
Hale: Back when I used to pay attention to his specs they were always bloated nonsense that discussed in the most minute detail the parts that were really unimportant while skimping on the detail where it was needed.
Jonny: That’s hilarious!
at the end of the day most clients who have any business sense won’t give a toss about the technical details, they just want to know how it benefits them and how its going to make their business and processes more efficient
so many times we done a detailed scope for a client 10-20 pages long and then they’ve come back and just asked for a 1.5 page summary
I tend to not include technical detils unless it’s required. You’re right, customers care more about what rather than how (most of the time). That’s why I have an “Executive Summary” page :)
Our proposals range from 2 pages to 500+ for the bigger clients. We just submitted an 800 page WaterCorp proposal, that was a bloody book. But they all follow the same structure you have outlined above. General template includes…
- understanding of the clients needs
- our company profile
- proposed solution as a “service” (not technical)
- approach to providing such a “service”
- service scope
- our company case studies (proof we can do it)
- references (other client CEO’s that can be contacted for a non bias 3rd party reference)
- conclusion
once we win the tender and the financial contract is then agreed upon , then we supply technical doco analysis etc…
Some poor bastard has to trawl through a proposal with pages in the 3 digits… I pity them :)
Fitzy; it’s called bus/train time reading :P
The stuff you don’t get time to read you bullshit through during meetings. Reminds me of Uni Assignements!