no functional spec... gasp!

[Sean Keesler]

Being a somewhat visual thinker, I can appreciate the idea of using a UI
design as a tool for helping communicate the functional spec to developers.
However, I think that it makes sense to use other modeling techniques in a
similar way to keep the conversation going between developers and designers.
A state diagram, decision table and/or data models are useful techniques
that can help to bridge the gap between concept and code. I can often say a
lot more with a quick diagram than I can with text and I have had some great
conversations with our developers with "traditional" modeling tools.

I wouldn't advocate for creating extensive design documentation as a
required deliverable before moving into coding, but when it works as a
communication tool between willing parties, it sure helps.


------------------------------
Sean Keesler
The Living SchoolBook
030 Huntington Hall
Syracuse University
315-443-4768



On 11/30/07 3:04 AM, "Marc Brierley" <brierley at stanford.edu> wrote:

> Here's an interesting article I found when I googled on "annotate html
> mockups":
> http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives2/the_interface_as_a_spec_including_stori
> es_inline.php
> 
> but it led me to this:
> http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives/001050.php
> 
> no functional spec... gasp!
> 
> Actually, 37signals whole philosophy is pretty much a vector on
> traditional software development:
> http://gettingreal.37signals.com/index.php
> 
> Hmm, why do I like this?
> -mARC
> 
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