What did you want?: On miscommunication
This 12-panel cartoon from LinuxKungFun.org of what happens when a customer first explains what he or she wants, what the customer actually gets, and what the customer really wanted, is analogous with more than a few moments of life with an autistic child. How often have I concluded that Charlie is asking me for one thing (the three-level swing on a tree in the first panel of the cartoon) and ended up with something quite different (a rope tied to a tree in the seventh panel of the cartoon)? Only after all that effort is what the customer (i.e. Charlie) actually wanted revealed: A simple tire swing.
A lot can get lost in translation, especially, as in the cartoon, when Project Leaders, Programmers, Business Consultants, and others get involved.
Go here to view the LinuxKungFun.org cartoon.
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Technology, Weblogs
2 opinions for What did you want?: On miscommunication
mcewen
Mar 24, 2007 at 11:31 am
Excellent - just printed it our for a ‘group’ consultation [if I can extract them from under the table.]
Best wishes
Kristina Chew, PhD
Mar 24, 2007 at 11:36 am
Shall I hope they favor the tire swing for the roller coaster?
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: