Where, what and how, in that order

Before a client can tell us what he wants done, he must tell where (the version of the "bin") he wants it done.

Then he tells what he wants (This is just specifications, stories, communication, analysis etc).

Before we can do it, we must know where (the version of the "src") it should be done.

Then we do it (This is just languages, architecture, design, methodologies etc)

After we have done it, we must get a new "bin" from the "src" and deliver it to the client.

Afterwards we must be able to track who requested what (where is the request?) to where, how it was done (where is the diff?) and what got delivered to the client (where is the "bin" and a recipe to create it again?).

Software Configuration Management is a reliable mapping between what a client sees and what a programmer sees.