Assumptions in Software Project

Assumptions in software projects become the facts with the time. There is nothing wrong with assumptions. They help us to move forward in software project. The problem arises when we forget that assumptions are not facts. We should be prepared for the unexpected outcome of assumptions.

A short story on assumptions and how they work from "The Art of Negotiating" by Gerard I.Nierenberg -

A husband was watching his wife as she prepared a roast for the evening meal. After placing the roast on the cutting board, the wife cut the first slice and dropped it in the refuse can.

"Why did you do that, dear?" the husband asked. "I don't know," was the answer. "My mother always did it". The next time he saw his mother-in-law, the husband asked if she always removed the first slice from the roast before cooking it. "Yes," was the reply. "My mother always did it." So the husband, intrigued, called up his wife's grandmother. That elderly lady explained, "Oh, yes, I always removed the end slice from the roast because the pan I cooked it in was too small."