Software Development Project Design Specification Outline

Software Development Project Design Specification Outline

Project Name:

User Contact: Phone:

E-mail:

Development Contact: Phone:

Web: E-mail

Document Creation:

Document Revisions:

Last Modified:

Purpose of This Document

This document provides a suggested outline for a database application design specification that falls within Microsoft Development Framework guidelines. Hints for creating the content of each section and topic are emphasized and can be deleted from the final document draft. Items to be filled in during the creation of the document are noted with {bracketed text} which should be replaced with the actual text in the final specification document.

Different specifications will have different layouts, depending on the responsible personnel and the needs of each project. The flow of this example is only a suggestion to guide the specification process - there is no single "correct" outline for a spec document.

Many people working on an application of any size fail to predict the complexities of development, testing, budgeting, and deployment. Even if your project is too small or your timeline too tight to allow for a specification as detailed as this outline, reading through the outline before you begin your project will help alert you to the many facets of development and deployment.

For purposes of this specification outline, the term section is used to refer to a major segment of the document. Within sections are subsections, and each subsection has several topics that describe individual application features.

Contents

Purpose of This Document

Contents

1. Executive Summary

1A. Overview

Identified Problems

Proposed Solution

Project Scope

1B. Justification

Cost Justification

Return on Investment

1C. Resource Requirements

Human Resources

Physical Resources

Capital Resources

2. Application Processes

2A. Solution Description

2B. Primary Processes

2C. Application Navigation

Setup

Launching the Application

Interface Philosophy

Navigation Map

2D. Initial Data Conversion

Source of Initial Data

Converting and Validating Initial Data

2E. Links to Other Systems

Downloads

Uploads

Merges and Links

2F. Security Requirements

Workgroup Security

Application Security

2G. Multi-User Issues

3. Project Mechanics and Management

3A. Project Management Overview

3B. Architecture and Tools

Platform/Language

Development Tools

Reusable Components

3C. Equipment Requirements

Client Configuration

Server Requirements

Connectivity

Equipment Upgrades

3D. Application Deployment

User Definition

Review Builds

Testing

Unit Testing

System Testing

Test Plan

Preloading Data

Training

Deployment

Online Documentation

User Documentation

System Documentation

Database Administration

Administrators

Backup Policies

Disaster Recovery

Adding Users

Localization

Ongoing Support

Supporting Users

Reporting Problems and Enhancement Requests

Problem/Enhancement Resolution Guidelines

Future Releases

3E. Project Management

Affected Users and Related Parties

Project Timelines

Responsible Parties

Project Administration

Issue Management

Risk Management

Coding and Documentation Standards

Future Phases

3F. Financial Mechanics

Costing