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The Scope of Work
Once the EA concept reaches a certain point of clarity, the project manager will send you a scope of work (SOW). The SOW attempts to bridge the gap between
- Explaining a trading strategy in clear English
- Structuring the explanation so that a programmer can pick it up, read it once or twice, and immediately start programming
The structure of the SOW reflects the idea of a checklist: I know to enter the market when items x, y and z are checked off. You can also think of those items as evaluating to true or false. If they're all true, then the EA should enter a trade. If not, then the Expert Advisor does not need to do anything.
Take a look at a sample SOW written for a triple moving average crossover robot. Although the strategy is simple, you will get a feel for how the document flows and how it may apply to your EA.
The project manager creates the SOW to confirm his understanding. In effect, he parrots the strategy back to you. It's our way of saying, "Yes, we understand the work that you want us to do" before we accept any form of payment. It also presents the opportunity to correct any mistakes before they actually happen.
The project manager does a lot of the mental heavy lifting. That said, you are the person with the fully formed idea in their head. You may find yourself strained at some point to translate thoughts from your brain into a format that others can follow. There are no shortcuts – it is best that you approach the subject with a great deal of patience.