Abstract :
Every project has a customer, usually referred to as the end user. In a major project it is unlikely that the end user will have a hands on input to the project as he/she is generally involved in pursuing the core business. The result of a project will be a facility which the end user can apply to the core business to improve that business. The project team, however, is transient in the core business life cycle. The project has a limited time to identify the needs of the end user and to convert those desires into a physical entity. It would therefore appear to be very much in everyones interest to ensure the project starts from a firm basis with a clear user requirements specification, for which the author gives guidelines. The author also discusses EC legislation for tendering projects