xr: biggest difference between an employee App Dev vs a consultant AD.

xr: enormous advantage if u get it from the horse's mouth
– simplified solutions
– workarounds when the original plan fails

xr: my more “ideal” project started with a discussion with users, around 50 use cases. This way i know exactly what users want

In the typical consultant's mode, you don't get to hear from the users. you code according to a spec. spec is usually not as good as
hearing from the users. You code according to an incomplete/inaccurate understanding of the users' real requirements — countless
consequences.

I think for a long time my subconscious assumption was “spec is better than hearing from users.”
– users are imprecise, until they commit to a spec
– users are fickle, until they commit to a spec
– users aren't sure what they need, until they commit to a spec
– spec is clear, verbal is often vague.
– spec is more detailed and answers a developer's questions
– spec doesn't contain contradictions.