I received this funny comic and it got me thinking…..

I have often wondered how a relationship between specialist (Web, designer, programmer, etc.,) can sometimes turn into the customer believing they understand everything better than the specialist, and how to do it.

This is when phrases like:

“Couldn’t you just..”

“All you have to do..”

“It should be pretty simple..”

“Can’t we make it really simple on the screen?  Why would that be more work to do it all behind the scenes?”

become more, and more common.

Problem? I don’t know. If you ignored everything clients say in this case, and only look at what they were doing, the client is basically saying they know better than you.  One could argue there’s something missing in the requirements phase.  Even when clients are the ones  that hired you to help them meet that impossible deadline that they didn’t know was a ton more work than they ever imagined?

Still, I’m not sure if it’s entirely the client’s fault for being this way.  I think it might be a mix of both client and specialist.  Clients tend to oversimplify and over-trivialize anything to make it something they can feel confident about so they don’t get taken advantage of.

What is true is this.

It is hard to make the complex simple, and easy to make the simple into something more complex.

Would we second guess or suggest doctors do something differently, or that engineers build a bridge differently (and without a plan) because we feel it shouldn’t be complicated?  I don’t know.

This leads back to the oft-referred issue of what color to paint the bike shed.

Why? Well, the less you involve and empower your clients, the more they will feel your craft is a magical dark science.  Of course, I’m the first guy to say I want to build systems and tools for people, not BE the system and tool through which they maintain their systems.  So, I’m forever doomed to try and involve clients as much as they would like to be and educate them.  It is already a luxury to feel understood by anyone, and it’s nice when you clients are able to join you if they so wish.

With that being said, I have a responsibility to first learn, and then demonstrate that I understand the needs of my client and how to best solve them in the way that best serves the client.  Maintaining or enhancing the clients competitive advantage is critical. It’s not about making my life easier, it’s about making life easier for my clients, and their clients.  This rings very true even when working on a startup.

I get it.  I’m pretty good at what I do and can reasonably be thrown down a well and come out okay.  Do I make it look easy?  I don’t know.  I have 15 years of experience and 4 vacations to show for it.  I read 2-3 hours a day on technologies and problem solving approaches.  I keep the saw sharp and keep busy sawing.  All to keep my value high to myself and the projects I work on, and to ensure my clients receive the best possible outcome.

Still, I hear, “well, can’t you just do this”.  I have accepted that this on some levels will always be the case.  I think helping clients understand that what I can do in 1 hour is only possible after 15 years of experience doing what I do, and that 1 hour of their time, while likely very valuable in the needs requirement of it, likely would not compare, must like I would be lost in their business.

I think I am going to explore the idea of “highest and best use” and incorporating that in to my working philosophy on all projects.  When we focus on everyone’s highest and best use and simply keep our nose out (or in) no more or less than it’s needed, it’s where 1 + 1 = 11 in terms of gains in productivity.