When do specification documents become WASTE?
Did you ever had a project where someone (maybe even you?) produced loads of documents for specification purpose pouring in days and even weeks of hard work only to find out that the next guy in the software not-engineering process needs an awful lot of time to understand, correct and re-factor your specification to implement it – at best?
As you can see I probably get paid for long sentences, so I am in my business analyst role.
Wait, there is a thought blocking my further requirements engineering – WASTE WASTE WASTE!?
Anyone?
18.03.2009(3:38 pm)
In my last project I found, that a detailed specification helps the IT to understand what the Business Client need is. The IT was happy to get a well defined, structured specification – they could plan and calculate the implementation project. However, the Business Client found it was too much specified and to less flexibility left for the implementation.
The fine-granular specification had two effects. First, the Business Client could be sure the needs were understood by the developers. Second, the developers did not waste a lot of time at the project start with asking hundreds of questions and trying to understand the Client Problem. Instead they boost the project to its full speed in just a few days.
In the end the software developers, the IT and the Business Client have a stable common understanding within a unbelievable short period of time and talk about the most important Client needs right from the start. You see, a very detailed specification helps to create a better software product and therefore adds value to the Client.