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Functional Specification

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Hi
I have been tasked within a big project to write a functional specification and technical specification for a new system that will be replacing the old one. If there’s anyone who has done this before or a template I can use as a guideline will be most appreciated.

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A functional specification defines how the system will be used, and so is focused on user needs related to business requirements.

A technical specification defines how the system will meet the functional specification in terms of hardware, software, protocols, and performance metrics.

For example, a functional requirement might be for creating documentation that is suitable for both commercially printed marketing sheets and online viewing by clients, that imports raw data from the production unit monthly reports, and cannot be modified except by (specific job function) once published.

The technical specification might state that this document is created in Word using macros to import data from an Oracle data base based on date, using a defined read only document template maintained by Marketing department and stored in a share folder. Outputs are in Adobe pdf format with security settings of x and in nnn format as specified by the current printer.

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Send me a mail (sridharpandu@netscape.net) will reply with a template.

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Was the template useful ?

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In reply to Functional Specification

Hi

While there are several guidelines available freely on the site including techrepublic, the depth and pattern of specs can’t be generalised and would be highly subjective of the kind of project.

If you could share what kind of the application is, I may be able to assist you further in this.

Pal Ahuja
India

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In reply to Functional Specification

1. Summary Statement – what it will do – what is the goal – what is it supposed to be. WHo benefits from it (sometimes not included or included in the back/appendix from marketing people.

2. Details – Details – Details – the GUI – the interface – the thing in and of itself. The features – how does it work.

3……………BE VERY CAREFUL GIVING OUT DATA TO ANYONE YOU DON”T KNOW….remember there is a good chance you signed a confidentiality agreement – do you need other developers stealing your code or idea….??? just a question and a thought.

Get someone to provide a serious OUTLINE that is your template….

Respectfully – Goodluck

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no disrespect to anyone here – I am just saying before ou go – giving out details of your app – assure yurself you know what you are doing and do not mind others knowing and maybe overtaking the “speed to market”

J

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In reply to Functional Specification

It would be a bit hard to send a template due to different types of projects. You have to determine the level of functionality and technical level you wish to document due to the time/cost factor. The functional spec will specify the what the system does in terms of what it is required to do and will always be a basis of your scope of work. It will define scope, limitations, user functions, types of inputs, types of outputs and used case scenario diagrams. A document would be produced for each funcational module. Defining things like..
Purpose – Defining the functional requirement
Scope – What is involved, limititions.
Inputs – Eg User input or some event
Outputs – What the outcome is
Actions – Any actions to be performed.
Used case scenarios digarams – Real life events

Used case scenario diagrams are a good way of determining what actually is going to happen. It will demonstrate an actual scenario of a user input or data movement or both together. You can first start of with an end to end scenario and then break these down into smaller functional scenarios. Then break them down into technical specs showing things like:
Purpose – Defining technical overview
Inputs – Eg Type of data required, data structures, events, classes used
Procedures – Algorithms, technically what needs to be done etc
Outputs – Eg Type of data stored, or displayed on screen

Again it comes down to how much detail you want, level you wish to go down to and the type of project in question.

[Author]

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