Where there is even the slightest chance that jargon, a word, or an acronym may be used outside of their normal meaning they should be included. The glossary should be in, or referenced by, the specification. Hitting the Target Writing and using good software requirements specifications is integral to the success of a project. Specifications carry the initial vision for a project through to its completion and are a vehicle for correcting the vision along the way. Write and review them early and keep on doing it.
Good specifications are also key to managing customer expectation rather than being a victim of it.
Use them for realistic and honest two-way communication. In this way your lumbering ad-hoc battleship developments can turn into smart missiles that have a better chance of hitting the target. David L. Moore is a Sydney based independent software testing consultant specializing in inception to completion process improvement. Information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe is at the end of this issue. Copyright 2000 by Software Research, Inc.