A while back, I read blog post discussing who is the client. Software projects frequently have many different clients, many of whom are frequently underrepresented throughout the development process. Do you know who all of the clients of your application are? What can you do to make their lives easier or better? You might be excited that you’re project is converting an old green-screen application to a web application, but have you thought about the data entry staff? How long did it take for them to enter a widget through the old interface? How about with the new one? How about the people who consume the data that your application will be collecting? Will they be able to access everything they need? Don’t forget the IT staff. Will they be able to support your application?

When developing software, you need to be aware of all of the different customers you have. Even though they might not be represented in the meetings, whether or not your software satisfies their needs will determine your project’s success.