Working with Clients

• They have a brand-new not very clear idea
• They need to see something next week
• They will user test the app right after that
• You haven't a clue what they want or if you can do it

• Meet and greet
• Establish communication channel
• Schedule midpoint check-in time and method
• Define what you'll deliver in a week

• By end of the kickoff meeting, you need to have a specifc example of a slice that you believe you can definitely implement in less than a week
• That slice should be based on the third panel of their four-panel scenario, fleshed out with realistic data from the client

• Determine primary channels for communication
• Whatever ALL members already use (email, group text, Slack Messenger, iMessage, ...)
• Determine a single primary contact on both sides (see next slide)

• To reduce mixed messages and enable easy search of message history...
• One person on each team
  • sends all inter-team messages after team discussion
  • CCs everyone on both teams (but not me)
  • gently points out when counterpart fails to CC everyone

• Face-to-face iteration planning meeting (an hour)
• Midpoint check-in two or three days later (about twenty minutes)
• Listen actively
  • Have a designated notetaker
  • Listen for signs of concern or uncertainty
  • Circulate a summary of the week's tasks and any questions within 24 hours

• Demo rough draft of upcoming deliverable
• Review issues identified, and potential resolutions:
  • Confusions: offer two or three likely interpretations
  • Obstacles: offer two or three alternatives you could do pretty quickly

• Don't assume all is well
• Every week, ask the client two questions:
  • Did you expect something you didn't see?
  • Did you see something you didn't expect?
• Don't ask for a rating. People hate to rate people.

Thanks to Hakim El Hattab for RevealJS