Re: FN-FORUM Contracts

date posted 25th March 2000 00:31

Peter Small wrote on 21/3/00 12:06 pm

>An interesting resource. But, is all this planning and contract stuff the
>right approach for e-commerce projects?
>
>The reason I ask is because the book I'm working on is saying that it is
>impossible to pre plan an e-business because there is too much continuous
>change (technology and competition). Instead of planning a solution they
>should be grown.
Nope. You need to plan - albeit incrementally - the major releases.

Minor stuff can be slightly organically grown as long as it's in line
with a strategy (a marketing one at the very least). The generic model
for most ecommerce startups is customer aquisition. If you don't
understand
it completely, I recommend any Direct Marketing text, but Drayton Bird's
is pretty much the best introductory one.
>
>Is anyone working with clients that take this attitude: allowing developers
>to develop a site as a response to feedback and results, continuously
>experimenting and probing into new areas?
But this needs to be subject to a contract defining the remit in terms of
the strategy and charges on at least a time and materials basis.

Allowing the developers to develop the site without guidance from
business requirements is a recipe for disaster.

Cheers
Martin