Tom,
>When my wife and I are discussing something – that can be a different story!

I can relate to this one. < bg >

>
>With that thought in mind, why do you (in the third person if you will) think clients and developers find it difficult to communite? Why are some applications "from Mars"?
>
>Product is delivered to client - clients reaction: "You did what I said and not what I want"!

Usually it isn't even that. The client says: I didn't say that. I said this. What was in their mind came out perfectly understandable to them, but you saw as something totally different. Which is the major reason to have everything in writing because the client can see it and say that's right or no, this is what it's supposed to be.

While the same words can be used, I think written words have fewer ambiguities about them. This may be due to the fact that they are permanent and spoken words are not. Once initially heard, you have to rely on your recollection of the words. Each time this occurs, slight nuances could creep in (without you realizing it) making each subsequent recollection that much more different than the original.