Barbara Peisch

Barbara Peisch

Barbara has been an active member of the Visual FoxPro community for many years. She has participated in most of the beta tests, spoken at conferences, and had columns in CoDE and FoxTalk magazines. She has been active in online forums and has been a Microsoft MVP for over nine years.

Detailed Biography

You may contact me at 760-729-9607. Talented in communicating with both customers and tech workers. Experienced in analysis, project design and development, implementation and maintenance. Articles published in FoxTalk magazine and Advisor Guide to Visual FoxPro Speaker at the Southwest Fox conference - three years. Information about the conference: http://www.swfox.net Speaker at Great Lakes Great Database Workshop - three years, http://www.hentzenwerke.com Technical Editor for “WebRAD: Building Database Websites with Visual FoxPro and Web Connection” ISBN 1-930939-07-7 available from http://www.hentzenwerke.com Microsoft MVP 1997 - nine years (See http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/ for info on the MVP program) Monthly column in CoDe magazine Judge in Visual FoxPro Excellence Awards Monthly tips column in FoxTalk magazine. Gave feedback to Whil Hentzen on his manuscripts for his books on Fox Pro and Software Development. Coordinator, Treasurer, and founding member of the FoxPro Developers Network of San Diego - Fourteen years.

Contact Information:

Articles Authored

  • Customers vs. Code: Maintaining Relationships

    Last updated: Friday, December 26, 2025

    Published in: CODE Magazine: 2001 - Issue 2

    Nancy Folsom argues that successful software projects hinge on disciplined requirements gathering that centers the customer and the domain, not just code. By illustrating common scenarios and advocating active stakeholder engagement, use-case thinking, and interim validation, she shows how to uncover real needs, challenge assumptions, and align design with business realities. The piece champions a flexible, process-driven approach within the unified process, emphasizing that software is ultimately about people, and that sustained customer involvement yields clearer specifications, better alignment, and more deliverable value.

  • Customers vs. Code: Analysis

    Last updated: Friday, December 26, 2025

    Published in: CODE Magazine: 2001 - Issue 1

    Nancy Folsom and Barbara Peisch argue that successful software analysis hinges on understanding the customer’s business, not just the code. Through practical guidance on listening, translating user needs into clear requirements, and managing a cast of stakeholder personalities (The Corporate Oracle, The New Kid, The Hermit, The Know‑it‑all, The Mole, The Staller, The Quiet One, and others), they show how to uncover true needs, resolve conflicting information, and secure cooperative engagement. The piece emphasizes flexible, user‑centered interviewing, early problem framing, and collaborative decision making to steer projects toward meaningful, actionable specifications.

  • Customers vs. Code: Negotiating Contracts

    Last updated: Friday, December 26, 2025

    Published in: CODE Magazine: 2000 - Fall

    Nancy Folsom argues that contract negotiation is a critical, mutually beneficial phase in software projects. She emphasizes that negotiators must establish clear terms on scope, costs, deliverables, and risk, and that a well-structured contract helps prevent surprises and protects both parties. Folsom advises contractors to set nonnegotiable minimums, be prepared to walk away, and keep two documents—general contract and project-specific specifications. She also highlights copyright and employment-status nuances, and suggests practical tactics for initiating negotiations with prepared templates and explicit change-management language.

  • Customers vs. Code: The Initial Contact

    Last updated: Friday, December 26, 2025

    Published in: CODE Magazine: 2000 - Summer

    Nancy Folsom (with Barbara Peisch) argues that the initial customer contact is critical for setting expectations and winning the project. The column offers practical guidance on presenting the right image, identifying the audience and players, and aligning goals with client needs, while quietly gathering reconnaissance to tailor the pitch. It advocates a soft-sell, competence-based approach, honest handling of gaps in knowledge, and clear education about development processes, deliverables, and collaboration. Proper preparation and stakeholder awareness in the first meeting lay the groundwork for successful negotiations and contracts.

  • Customers vs. Code: Customer Relationships

    Last updated: Friday, December 26, 2025

    Published in: CODE Magazine: 2000 - Spring

    Nancy Folsom argues that successful software projects hinge on strong customer relationships, not technical prowess alone. She reframes “customers” as anyone who funds or will use the system—bosses, colleagues, clients, and end users—and offers practical rules to improve satisfaction: keep ego in check, prioritize the customer’s goals over personal attachment to the project, treat everyone with respect, focus on the real business problem, and maintain open, proactive communication. The column previews concrete approaches for each development phase to align delivery with customer needs and expectations.