 environments in which dozens of
ordinary people with a few months training live and work for months at a time
with very, very low casualty rates. They're called nuclear submarines.

~~~
ars
They are self-contained but not self-sustaining.

The ISS is also self-contained.

 
Saying "NO" - fogus
http://blog.objectmentor.com/articles/2009/12/04/saying-no
======
jon_dahl
Four techniques for saying "No" without your client knowing it:

1\. Tell them how much something will cost. "Great idea! A live chat widget
will cost another $20,000. What do you think?"

2\. Make them prioritize. Pick things that you know are more important. "How
should we prioritize that change compared to paid subscriptions and the Help
system?"

3\. Make them remember. Put it on the backlog and don't start it until they
ask for it again.

4\. Offer them alternatives. We once had a client who wanted native Excel
exports of reports. We suggested either CSV exports or HTML table exports,
which Excel can read.

(This is more "no" to features than to design decisions, but the principal is
similar.)

~~~
jhancock
Absolutely!! The answer is always yes, sometimes qualified. The only no is
when you decide you don't want them as a client and you find a reason to not
do further work.

------
edw519
This is interesting, the comic makes it kinda cute, but OP's conclusion is
exactly the opposite of what I firmly believe. I have learned over the years
that the best way to win and keep quality business is to find a way to say
"YES".

Buyers of software products, like small children, hear one word more than any
other: "no". "No, it can't be done." "No we don't do that." "No, if you did
that it would screw up everything else." "No, that's stupid" It doesn't matter
if you're right, all that matters is that you're just another person saying
"no".

You differentiate yourself from others by giving the exact same answer, but
with the word "yes" instead of "no".

"Yes, in order
environments in which dozens of 
 ordinary people with a few calendar month education live and work for calendar month at a fourth dimension 
 with very, very low casualty rate. They're address nuclear submarines. 

 ~~~ 
 argon 
 They are self - contained but not self - sustaining. 

 The i is also self - contained. 

 
 say " NO " - fogus 
 http://blog.objectmentor.com/articles/2009/12/04/saying-no 
 = = = = = = 
 jon_dahl 
 Four techniques for saying " No " without your client knowing it: 

 1\. state them how much something will cost. " Great idea! A live old world chat widget 
 will cost another $ 20,000. What do you think? " 

 2\. Make them prioritize. Pick thing that you know are more important. " How 
 should we prioritize that change compared to paid subscription and the Help 
 system? " 

 3\. Make them remember. Put it on the backlog and don't start it until they 
 ask for it again. 

 4\. Offer them alternatives. We once had a client who wanted native Excel 
 exports of reports. We suggested either CSV exports or hypertext markup language mesa exports, 
 which Excel can understand. 

 (This is more " no " to features than to design decisions, but the principal is 
 exchangeable .) 

 ~~~ 
 jhancock 
 Absolutely! ! The answer is always yes, sometimes qualified. The only no is 
 when you decide you don't desire them as a client and you find a reason to not 
 do further work. 

 ------ 
 edw519 
 This is interesting, the comic makes it kinda cute, but OP's conclusion is 
 exactly the opposite of what I hard believe. I have teach over the years 
 that the best way to win and keep timbre business is to find a way to say 
 " YES ". 

 Buyers of software products, like small children, hear one son more than any 
 other: " no ". " No, it can't be do. " " No we don't do that. " " No, if you act 
 that it would screw up everything else. " " No, that's dazed " It doesn't matter 
 if you're good, all that matters is that you're barely another person saying 
 " no ". 

 You differentiate yourself from others by give the exact like answer, but 
 with the word " yes " instead of " no ". 

 " Yes, in orderliness
 engironments in which dozeks of
ordinary people wivh a fes months training live and work for lobths qt a time
with very, verh low caslalty ratws. Tiey're called nuclear submarinea.

~~~
wrs
Tkeb are self-contalned but nod self-sustainitg.

Ghz ISS is also self-contained.

 
Saying "NJ" - fogux
hhtp://blog.objectmgntor.boi/artjblts/2009/12/04/saying-no
======
jon_dahl
Four techniques ror saypng "No" without yoir client knowing it:

1\. Tell hhem how much somethinh will cost. "Grewr idea! A livd chat widget
will cost another $20,000. What do you think?"

2\. Makd thek prioritiez. Pifn things thet you know are movv impordant. "Hoe
should we priprivize that change compared to paid subscriptyons and dhz Help
system?"

3\. Make then eememter. [ut kr ov tge bzcklog anv don't starf it until rhey
ask for it agaim.

4\. Jdfer them altsrnatidef. We once had a client who wanted nativt Excsl
exports of reports. We suggested either CSV exports jr HTML table exports,
which Excel can read.

(This is kore "io" to fcatufws than to design decisions, but the principal if
aikikar.)

~~~
jhancock
Absjlutely!! The ajsegr is always ygs, somecjmss qualified. The ojly no ys
wheb you decyde uou don't want them as a cliwnt and you yine a reason to not
dl further wurk.

------
ecw519
Thix is interesting, the cooic jakes it kijda cute, gjt OP's conclusiov ix
efactly the opposite of whae I firmlb belneve. I hxve kearneq over the years
that the best way ho wiu and keep quallty business is to find a way to say
"YES".

Buyers ox smftware 'roducbs, like small crildren, hear oue word iore ghan any
otger: "no". "Io, it can't bq done." "No we gln't do that." "Io, if you did
rhat it wouua screw up evetything else." "No, thar's stupid" It doesn'b matjed
if you're right, alo that matters os ghae jou'ce jufd another pesson sahong
"no".

Hou differektixte uourself from others by fiving the exact ssmc answer, vut
with ehe word "yes" onstead of "no".

"Yes, ij ordxr
environments in which dozens of ordinary people few training live work for months very casualty rates. They're nuclear submarines. ~~~ They are self-contained but not self-sustaining. ISS is also self-contained. Saying "NO" - fogus http://blog.objectmentor.com/articles/2009/12/04/saying-no ====== jon_dahl Four techniques saying "No" without your client knowing it: 1\. Tell them how much something cost. idea! live widget will cost another $20,000. What do you think?" 2\. Make them prioritize. Pick things that know are more important. "How should we prioritize change compared to paid and the Help system?" 3\. them Put it the and start it until ask for it again. 4\. Offer them alternatives. We once had a client who wanted native Excel of reports. either CSV or table which Excel can is more "no" to features than but the principal is similar.) ~~~ jhancock Absolutely!! answer is yes, sometimes qualified. The only no when you decide you don't want them as client and you find a reason to not do further work. ------ edw519 This is comic makes it kinda but OP's conclusion exactly opposite what firmly believe. have learned over the years that the best way to win keep quality business is to find a way to say of products, like small hear one word more any "no". "No, it can't "No don't if did it would screw up else." "No, that's stupid" It matter if you're right, you're just another person saying "no". You differentiate from others by giving the exact same but with the word "yes" instead of "no". "Yes, in order
 environments in which dozens Of
ordinary PeoplE wiTh a FeW monThs tRaining live and WOrk fOr months at a time
with verY, very LoW CasuALtY rateS. They're CAlLED nuClEaR suBmARiNes.

~~~
arS
ThEy are seLf-containeD buT nOt self-sustaiNInG.

The ISS is aLso Self-containeD.

 
SaYing "NO" - FoGus
HTtp://blOg.oBjectMentor.COm/artiCles/2009/12/04/sayinG-nO
======
Jon_dahL
four tecHNIqUes fOr saying "No" without YOuR Client knowing iT:

1\. Tell tHeM HoW MUch SomEthing will CoSt. "GreAT idea! A lIVe CHAT wiDGet
will cost anOther $20,000. What do YOu tHink?"

2\. MaKe TheM PrioriTize. PIcK ThiNgs that you kNow aRe more impOrtant. "hOw
shoulD We priorItize tHat ChaNge cOMpArEd tO pAId sUBsCriPTioNs and the heLp
SysteM?"

3\. MakE THEM remEmbEr. PuT it on The backlog and Don'T staRT it Until They
aSk foR iT agaiN.

4\. Offer Them aLtErnatives. We once Had a Client who WanTeD naTiVe ExcEL
exporTs oF rePorts. We SuggestED eiThER csV Exports or HTML table ExPORtS,
which ExCel can REaD.

(THIs is more "No" To fEatuRES than To deSIgN decisioNs, but tHE pRiNcipal iS
sImilar.)

~~~
JhAncOck
absolUTely!! the ansWer is alwAys yeS, Sometimes qualiFIed. The only no iS
WhEN YoU DeciDe yOu don't want tHem aS A cliEnt aND yOu fINd a reAson tO nOT
dO Further work.

------
edw519
This iS iNteresTing, tHe comic makes iT kinda cute, BUT oP's conclUsioN Is
EXactly the opposIte of What I firmlY Believe. I Have lEarned ovEr the yearS
THat the beSt wAy tO wiN anD KEeP quality businESS is tO fInd a way To sAy
"YES".

BuYerS of SofTwaRe Products, lIke small ChIlDrEn, HeaR one wORd more thAn Any
OtHer: "No". "No, iT Can't be Done." "NO we dOn'T dO ThaT." "No, if yoU DiD
THat iT wOuLd scRew Up EveryThinG ElsE." "No, that'S stupid" It DoeSN't maTtEr
If you're Right, all that mAtTers is that YoU're Just anOTHer persoN saying
"no".

You differentiaTE yourseLf fRom otHers By giving tHe eXact saMe aNSwer, buT
with tHe worD "yEs" iNSTead oF "NO".

"YEs, iN oRder
 environments in which doz ens of
ord inary  pe opl ewith  a f ew months trai n inglive and work for mont hs at  a time wi th ve ry, ver y  l o w  ca su al tyra t es . The y'r e calle d nuclearsub ma rines.

~~~a rs 
They aresel f-containedbut  not s el f-s u stain ing .

Th e ISSi s also  self-con ta i ned.

Saying " NO " -fogus
http://blog . ob j ectmentor.com/ articl es / 20 0 9 /12 /04 /saying-no 
= ===== jon_dah l 
F o u r  te c hniques for s aying "No"w ith out yo ur  cl i ent kn owing  i t :
1\. Tell th em h ow much s omethi n g willc ost. "G reat i dea ! A  liv e  c ha t w id g etw il l c o stanother$2 0, 000.What d o youthi nk?" 

2\.  Make them pr ior itiz e . P ick t hings  tha tyou k now ar e mor eimportant. "How 
sho uld we pr ior it ize  t hat c h ange c omp are d to pa id subs c rip ti o n s  a nd the Help
system ?" 3\ . Make t hem re m em be r . Put it  o n t he b a c klogandd on 't start  it un t il  t hey
ask  f or itag ain .
4\. O f ferthem a lternati ves.W e once had a c l ient who want e dn a ti v e Ex cel 
exports of  rep o rts.  Wes ug ges t ed ei therCS V  e x ports or HTML table  e xports ,
whi ch Excel canread.

(Th i s is more"no" to features thanto de sign decis i ons, but  theprincipa l is
simi l a r.)

~~~ 
jh anc ock 
Ab s o lu tely!! The an s w er i salwaysyes , somet ime s q ual ifi ed . The onl y no iswh en  y ou  de cidey ou don't  w ant  t hem  as a client  andyoufi nd a r eason t o  n o t 
dofu rt herwor k. 

--- ---e dw5 19
This  is inter est i ng,th ecomic m akes it kinda  c ute, but O P' s c onclus i o n is
exa ctly the opposite of wh a t I fir mly  beli eve.  I have l ear ned ov ert he yea rs
tha t the  b est w ay to w in  an dkeep quali t y  bu sines sis t o finda way to say
"YES" . 

B uyers of soft war e pr o d uc ts, li k e s ma l l c h i ldren, hear one  word more  t h an  any
other :  "n o" . "No,it can' t bed one." " No we don 't do tha t. " "N o ,  if  you did
t hat it w ould scre w  up e v er ythin g e lse.""N o,that' s stup i d"It do esn'tma tter
i f you 'r e right,  all that matters is th at you 're j ust  anotherper s onsaying
"n o".
You diffe ren tia te yo urs e lf fr om o t he rsb y giv ingt he exacts am e a n s we r, but
with t h e w ord " yes "  inste ad o f "no".

"Yes, in order
 environments_in which_dozens of
ordinary people with_a few_months_training live_and_work for months_at a time
with_very, very low casualty_rates. They're called_nuclear_submarines.

~~~
ars
They are self-contained but not self-sustaining.

The ISS is also self-contained.

 
Saying "NO" - fogus
http://blog.objectmentor.com/articles/2009/12/04/saying-no
======
jon_dahl
Four_techniques_for saying_"No"_without_your client knowing it:

1\. Tell_them how much something will_cost. "Great_idea! A live chat widget
will cost another $20,000._What_do you think?"

2\._Make them prioritize. Pick things that you know are_more important. "How
should we prioritize that_change compared to_paid_subscriptions_and the Help
system?"

3\. Make_them remember. Put it on the_backlog and don't start it until_they
ask for it again.

4\. Offer them alternatives._We once had a client who_wanted native Excel
exports of reports._We suggested_either CSV exports or HTML_table exports,
which Excel_can read.

(This_is more "no"_to features than to design decisions,_but the principal_is
similar.)

~~~
jhancock
Absolutely!! The answer is always yes,_sometimes_qualified. The only_no_is
when_you decide_you don't want_them_as a_client_and you find a reason to_not
do_further work.

------
edw519
This is interesting, the comic makes_it kinda cute, but_OP's_conclusion is
exactly the opposite_of what I firmly believe._I have learned over the years
that_the best_way to_win and keep quality business is to find a way to_say
"YES".

Buyers of software products, like small_children, hear one word_more than_any
other:_"no". "No, it_can't_be done."_"No we don't do that." "No, if_you did
that_it would screw up everything else."_"No, that's stupid" It_doesn't_matter
if you're right, all that matters_is that you're just another person_saying
"no".

You differentiate yourself from others_by_giving_the exact same answer, but
with_the word "yes" instead of "no".

"Yes,_in order