In this anti-pattern, one person in a conversation takes the client role, while the other takes the vendor role. It’s the client’s job to know what he wants, and to explain the details to the vendor. That’s what we call “requirements.” It’s the vendor’s job to listen, understand, and then think through a technical approach for delivering what the client asked for. The vendor then gives her estimate—which in software lingo actually means “commitment,” and is the reason why developers often fear giving estimates without thorough investigation.
