I was crazy when facing the inconsistent user. First, he gave me requirement, and he confirmed it is valid. But after i finish doing programming, he said sorry that requirement needs to be changed. In small application, the condition will not impact in big scale, but in medium up to big application, the inconsistency of user requirement could need much money. Why ? Because the software developer will convert requirement into cost, which user need to pay. Imagine when development budget is very limited. Company will not able to pay software developer because of user requirement change, so the application can not be established. That's why change of user requirement needs special management, to avoid development failure. Change can be categorized as mandatory or not mandatory. Categorization need to be done, to filter out non-mandatory change. when even for mandatory change, development cost is not enough, then another approach is making the changed function out side of system, or using human operation if possible. if not possible, then you must choose another functions to be discarded in development, and include the change in development. [to be continued...]
The PRINCE2 methodology would be an excellent resource to you in this scenario. Have a little look at: http://www.prince2primer.com/prince2-change-control/ or Google "PRINCE2 Change Control" This is another good resource: http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/change-management.html
Prince2 is a pm methodology and if the orderer does not understand what he needs then it will not help, what is needed as a programmer is to ask questions and not to assume / implement the easiest / cheapest solutions. As a orderer i have come to realise the need to very explicit in what I want including time frames. otherwise everyone gets very frustrated, very very very seldom do programmers ask questions
What? Are you crazy... Ask questions, don't assume, implement the cheapest? Prince2 is a PROJECT MANAGEMENT methodology, adopting several SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT methodologies such as the waterfall method, incremental method and various other stages of the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) What is it when you complete a website for example for a client... Its a PROJECT So your answer is to implement the cheapest solution and give your client tat? Glad I'm not hiring you to complete anything for me! The PRINCE2 change control process was advised because it is a proven well documented method which applies to many areas which consist of a project.