Absolutely true. However, I have a hard time disagreeing with the OA's general thesis. Maintainability is not something that fits in a client pitch unless the client already is aware of it as an issue. Especially getting into the nitty gritty of technology choice is a rabbit hole that is not going to help you win a project, because 99% of the time the client doesn't have the expertise to evaluate whatever claims you make about the relative maintainability of different solutions.
When it comes to winning bids, you need to speak the client's language and address the concerns they have. That's not to say you don't have an ethical obligation to consider long-term maintenance and other issues that are off the client's radar, but if you talk about it too much with a prospective client who isn't aware of it you will appear to be out of touch and not understanding their real needs.
Comments
Absolutely true. However, I have a hard time disagreeing with the OA's general thesis. Maintainability is not something that fits in a client pitch unless the client already is aware of it as an issue. Especially getting into the nitty gritty of technology choice is a rabbit hole that is not going to help you win a project, because 99% of the time the client doesn't have the expertise to evaluate whatever claims you make about the relative maintainability of different solutions.
When it comes to winning bids, you need to speak the client's language and address the concerns they have. That's not to say you don't have an ethical obligation to consider long-term maintenance and other issues that are off the client's radar, but if you talk about it too much with a prospective client who isn't aware of it you will appear to be out of touch and not understanding their real needs.