Symptom: Requirements are not clear at the start of the project.
To estimate the cost projects, people need precise statements of requirements (i.e., deliverables). Without this, cost estimates are meaningless.
Unfortunately, particularly in internal staff departments, we often see people agreeing to serve a client who says, "I don't exactly know what I want, and I'll let you know the details as we go. But whatever it is, I want it by this deadline at a fixed price!"
It is the job of the (internal) Sales (client liaison) function to help clients define their requirements before beginning any project.
Another (more generic) way to state the problem is as follows:
