

Why a web design really takes six weeks - there
http://webnola.com/why-a-web-design-really-takes-six-weeks/

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kls
That is why all of my contracts are time and material. There are just too many
variables for a small 1-2 man freelance outfit to try to manage x amount of
people to get input to me. So Time and Materials makes it fair.

If they are pressed for time to get it out the door and crack the whip on
their team, then I am right there with them and I don't have to worry about
burning through my budget due to untold changes.

Or if they are not in a hurry, I am not in a situation where I have taken
money and am now slaved to a contract. If they leave me with down time that I
am eating, I can adjust other project priorities and start the clock again
when they are ready.

This works out well for both sides because if you get a wishy-washy client
that changes everything every two days, they know that they are running the
clock, if you are on a time and materials contract. With a fixed price
contract, well it's a lot of fighting over whats in or whats out, either that
or you eat some time.

Conversely, if they are a more laid back client and they are taking time to
get back to you, you can stop the clock for them and work on other stuff.

When, I used to take fixed price, It created a bad environment in both
situations, I felt like the picky micro-managers where riding me for every
free cent they could get and I felt like, I was racing the clock, always
chasing the laid back guy, so that I could get the project done, as the money
was now in the past.

Since I set my own personal rule of not fixed price, my client relationships
are better, they are getting higher quality work, and they are happy with what
they get because it forces the decision on them as to whether the application
is good enough for them or whether the want to spend the money, to change the
feature, from what they thought the wanted, to what they really want.

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mikeleeorg
I find this happens to web development contracts too. Kind of frightening how
closely they map, actually (though I'd add a few extra weeks for poorly-
defined & extra features they forgot in the beginning). Good times.

