Writing technical specs

Writing a technical spec increases

the chances of having a successful project, service, or feature that all people involved are satisfied with.

The technical specs decreases the chances of

something going horribly wrong during implementation and even after you’ve launched your product.

A technical specification (tech spec) typically outlines

the requirements, features, and functionality of a product or system in detail

Software engineering technical specifications

Title and Overview:

• Title of the project/software.

• Brief overview of the document's purpose and contents.

Software engineering technical specifications

Introduction

• Purpose of the software.

• Background information or context.

Software engineering technical specifications

Scope

• Defines the boundaries of the project/product.

• What is included and what is excluded.

Software engineering technical specifications

Functional Requirements

• Detailed description of what the system or product must do.

• Use cases or scenarios illustrating how the product will be used.

• Functionalities, features, and interactions with users or other systems.

Software engineering technical specifications

Non-Functional Requirements

• Performance requirements (e.g., response time, throughput).

• Security requirements.

• Usability requirements.

• Compatibility requirements (e.g., with other systems, devices).

• Regulatory requirements (if applicable).

Software engineering technical specifications

System Architecture

• High-level overview of the system's components and how they interact.

• Diagrams (e.g., UML diagrams) illustrating system architecture

Software engineering technical specifications

Data model

• Description of the data entities and their relationships.

• Database schema if applicable

Software engineering technical specifications

Interfaces

• Description of interfaces with external systems or components.

• API specifications if applicable.

Software engineering technical specifications

Design Constraints

Limitations on design imposed by external factors (e.g., budget, time, technology).

Software engineering technical specifications

Assumptions and Dependencies

• Assumptions made during the design and development process.

• Dependencies on other systems, components, or resources.

Software engineering technical specifications

Testing Requirements

• Types of testing to be conducted (e.g., unit testing, integration testing, acceptance testing).

• Test scenarios and criteria for success.

Software engineering technical specifications

Performance Metrics

Metrics used to measure the performance of the system/product.

Software engineering technical specifications

Maintenance and Support

• Plans for ongoing maintenance and support of the system/product.

• Procedures for handling bug fixes, updates, and upgrades.

Software engineering technical specifications

Appendices

Additional supporting information (e.g., glossary, references, diagrams).

Software engineering technical specifications

Revision history

Record of changes made to the document over time.

Types of Technical Specification Documents

• Website Technical Specification

• IT Technical Specification

• Agile Technical Specification

• Product Technical Specification

• Technical Design Specification

• Equipment Technical Specification

• Software Technical Specification

• Architecture Specification

• Performance Specification

• Security Specifications

• Interface Specification

• Compliance Specifications

• Usability Specifications