Why You Need a Great Specification for Your Project

You see, everybody knows they should write specs, but very few actually do.

We are sure that creating a project specification is the most proven way to eliminate unnecessary risks in software and mobile development. Let me prove it to you!

According to numerous sources, a software project specification is a set of documents that describe how the final product is expected to look and perform. What is a 'good' software specification? Well, it's quite simple -- a good functional and technical specifications that has enough information to get all the things done right. That's it.

As for the content, a comprehensive specification may contain up to a hundred pages, each of them is priceless as they describe the scope of work expected to be done:

• project objectives; 
• the intended product audience; 
• product structure (interfaces, components, dependencies, etc); 
• product behavior (description of how the components interact); 
• milestones; 
• deployment requirements (third-party components, runtime requirements, etc.).

All in all, software specification is a complex hands-on reference for all the stakeholders of the project. It fully reflects customer's desires and requirements. On the other hand, provides structured hints and all the relevant information to the developers, QA team and management to make right decisions.

Just to clear things up, there are two types of specification I'm going to talk about -- Functional and Technical specs. Don't mix them up. Here is the what the difference is.

Functional specs provide a detailed description of how the product will perform.

Functional specification or Software design document. A detailed description of how the product will perform from the user's perspective is a functional specification. It provides a broad, general understanding of how your mobile app or website will work after everything is has been implemented. It doesn't answer the question to how exactly everything is implemented. Therefore, functional specs can be prepared by a non-technical specialist.

Technical specification describes the technical side of software product development. In a technical specification you can find:

• detailed info of the interface signatures including data types, structures, etc.;
• class models with their methods, attributes, dependencies, and associations; 
• specific algorithms that any components employ, etc.

Technical specs describe the technical side of software product development.

As you see, a technical specification document is much more sophisticated and focused on the technical aspect of software development than a functional spec. It's hard to imagine a non-professional creating this kind of document. How to get it done? We'll get onto that in a moment.

I hope you've noticed by now that we feel strongly about creating an in-depth software project specification.

I'm about to give you 10 reasons why you should in no way neglect it.

If you ignore this fact, you may be disappointed with the result. Sure, the earlier you notice that something is wrong, the more chances to intervene and avoid troubles. Still, I doubt that many of you want to do that. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) You don't have to keep an eye on every stage of the development process. Besides, you have a cool project manager for that.

On the other hand, it's not always a bad thing that developers to have their own vision and your product can benefit. Developers can add value to your idea, recommend the best technology or make useful suggestions in their subject area, for example, improve the user experience.

So, how do you solve this controversial issue? The key to a successful solution is a balance. And a specification brings this balance. You describe what you want to have and how you want it to work. Meanwhile, developers suggest the best options, based on their experience and skills set.

Ok, what to start with? It depends on what you've got. You may have no more than an idea or you may want to create a product similar to an existing one, by adding some features. Or maybe you own a business and dream of taking it up to the next level with new software -- a mobile app or a website. Your initial reasons are important for us to offer the best suitable solution for your needs.

Afterwards comes the process of clarifying your requirements to the contractor. It may take some time for both parties to understand each other clearly.

When it comes to bespoke document creation, you have a few options.

As for functional specs, if you aim to create them yourself, you should put it in as many details as possible. Don't be afraid to repeat yourself or give too many details. Forgetting something is going to lead to a mess. Try to use the approach of 'zero-knowledge'. Just assume that the reader knows nothing -- explain everything, no matter how obvious it seems.

Then having the specs, we will provide you with a project manager and a technical specialist to revise your requirements and plan the architecture as well.

Of course, every rule (we take creating specs as a rule!) has exceptions. You can do without specs if your project is going to take no more than one week of coding with one programmer involved. Otherwise, without a spec, you are at risk of receiving a poor result.

The Software development process has enough risks. When you neglect the specification, you expose yourself to the biggest unnecessary risk in software development. The top-level objective of the specification for your outsourced project is to communicate what you need from your development team and eventually receive want you want and save your resources.

One more thing. A successful project is one that combines creativity with a well-reasoned approach. A great project specification requires a lot of effort, but it's definitely worth it.

If you have something on your mind, get in touch with us and let's create something special together!