How to deal with clients that only gives you huge flow of “how to do this”, but can't say “what and why” they need? [duplicate]

Question

This question already has answers here:

Dealing with bad/incomplete/unclear specifications? [duplicate] (12 answers)

How to manage and estimate unstructured requirements received from customers (2 answers)

Closed 5 years ago.

Sometimes I have clients that from start gives you huge flow of words about "how task should be done in details", like "you must use SQL Server here", "should do this in do-while-loop", "should make two functions like that, and they should run in parallel", etc..

But they never-ever give you any word about "what is this task about?" and "why it's needed?". Even if you ask them about this questions directly, they only can say "I don't know, but this work should be done".

Doing this jobs is realty hard and despairing, because you don't understand project as part of some system - there is no system yet, and maybe never be.

Is there any way that can help deal with this kind of clients?

Answer 1

Fire them. Refer them to your worst enemy. You don't need the headaches. If they don't know what they want, neither will you, and the amount of trouble you will go through, finding out what is needed, IS NOT WORTH whatever they're planning on paying you.

Many years ago, a drinking buddy of mine gave me a piece of wisdom. When considering undertaking any project, ask three questions:

1. What is the problem we are trying to solve?
2. What are the deliverables?
3. How will I know I am finished?

If the potential client cannot give clear, cogent, complete answers to ALL THREE questions, neither he nor you are ready to start work on the project. ANY work you put into it at this point must be directed at answering those three questions, AND NO MORE.

Answer 2

Even if you ask them about this questions directly, they only can say "I don't know, but this work should be done".

Your job is now to explain to them why you need that information. As far as s/he is concerned, you don't need to know, you just need to do what they say.

You need to explain that if you know why all of this needs to get done, you will be able to come up with the solution better and faster. Everyone will be happy :)

Remember though that the person may not know the answer... in that case there is some weird politics going on!

Answer 3

Ask them

• How will we know when the work is finished?
• How will you decide whether to pay me?