- PPF Points
- 2,888
Dealing with a client who’s all up in your code like a backseat driver? Ugh, the struggle is real. Seriously, nothing kills your vibe faster than someone breathing down your neck about every little semicolon or variable name. It’s like, “Buddy, do you want to write this yourself, or...?” I swear, sometimes I feel like I’m stuck in a never-ending episode of “Extreme Makeover: Code Edition,” where every single decision gets an unsolicited commentary track.
Now, I get it—some folks just don’t get what goes on behind the digital curtain. They see code as this mysterious black box, and the only way they can cope is to poke their heads in constantly. Guess it’s their money on the line, so maybe that’s their way of clinging to some control. Still, it doesn’t make it any less annoying when you’re trying to actually, you know, do your job.
Honestly, the only thing that’s ever worked for me (short of screaming into a pillow) is just talking it out. Like, real talk. I’ll acknowledge their worries, toss them a bone with regular updates, maybe even show off a few milestones so they know stuff’s actually moving. But I’m not about to let them peek at every line of code—ain’t nobody got time for that. I’ll explain why certain choices happen, try to translate “dev-speak” into plain English, and low-key remind them that constant interruptions slow everything down. (Which, let’s be real, they never realize until you spell it out.)
At the end of the day, most clients just want to feel like they matter. So, you gotta walk that fine line between “I got you” and “please step back before I lose my mind.” But here’s the thing—where do you actually draw the line without turning the whole thing into a drama? How do you set boundaries without making them feel like you’re shutting them out? And why doesn’t the industry do more to educate clients so we’re not all stuck in this weird trust fall exercise every single project? I mean, can we crowdsource a guidebook or something, or are we just doomed to live in micromanager land forever?
Now, I get it—some folks just don’t get what goes on behind the digital curtain. They see code as this mysterious black box, and the only way they can cope is to poke their heads in constantly. Guess it’s their money on the line, so maybe that’s their way of clinging to some control. Still, it doesn’t make it any less annoying when you’re trying to actually, you know, do your job.
Honestly, the only thing that’s ever worked for me (short of screaming into a pillow) is just talking it out. Like, real talk. I’ll acknowledge their worries, toss them a bone with regular updates, maybe even show off a few milestones so they know stuff’s actually moving. But I’m not about to let them peek at every line of code—ain’t nobody got time for that. I’ll explain why certain choices happen, try to translate “dev-speak” into plain English, and low-key remind them that constant interruptions slow everything down. (Which, let’s be real, they never realize until you spell it out.)
At the end of the day, most clients just want to feel like they matter. So, you gotta walk that fine line between “I got you” and “please step back before I lose my mind.” But here’s the thing—where do you actually draw the line without turning the whole thing into a drama? How do you set boundaries without making them feel like you’re shutting them out? And why doesn’t the industry do more to educate clients so we’re not all stuck in this weird trust fall exercise every single project? I mean, can we crowdsource a guidebook or something, or are we just doomed to live in micromanager land forever?
