Neil Huse

A key challenge when developing custom software is creating effective design specifications. A good design provides two key benefits: (1) it serves as a specification so developers can build the proper system, and (2) it serves as a communication tool between the designers and the user community so the designers can understand the users' business and design their requirements correctly and succinctly. In object-oriented design, the Unified Modeling Language (UML) offers the tried-and-true use-case approach and is an excellent tool for the high-level design of large systems. Challenges are often encountered, however, when the next detail level is documented. On many occasions, the design brief has taken the information from the use case and documented the requirements in further detail in a format that's easier for developers and users to review and understand. It a... (more)

Understanding Design Briefs

A key challenge when developing custom software is creating effective design specifications. A good design provides two key benefits: (1) it serves as a specification so developers can build the proper system, and (2) it serves as a communication tool between the designers and the user community so the designers can understand the users' business and design their requirements correctly and succinctly. In object-oriented design, the Unified Modeling Language (UML) offers the tried-and-true use-case approach and is an excellent tool for the high-level design of large systems. Chal... (more)