Compatibility

One of the most common sources of problems between a client and developer is incompatibility. In these cases, the first mistake was agreeing to work together at all. A working relationship may be doomed from the start. Independent developers and outsourcing managers alike must learn to recognize trouble before they sign the agreement. The close working relationship necessary between the client and developer will flush out even the smallest incompatibilities before long. Incompatibility may be in the form of a developer s lack of experience with developing a type of website or with using required tools. The client may have chosen the developer based solely on price or on marketing image. Here the importance for clear communication on requirements and needs of the website is evident.

Sometimes the problem is a simple clash of cultures. Every company has its own procedures, attitudes, and codes of behavior and dress, collectively referred to as the corporate culture. Small website developers also have their own culture. Differences may be so pronounced that they seriously impair the working relationship. Imagine the conservative banking institution that hires an offbeat Web developer partial to body piercing. This extreme example of drastically conflicting fashion may seem trivial; however, difference in styles, whether in dress or work habits, can easily overpower the basic communications about the project and...