📌 Functional Specification Summary
A functional specification is a detailed document that describes what a system, product, or application is supposed to do. It outlines the features, behaviours, and requirements from the user’s perspective, making it clear what needs to be built. This document serves as a guide for designers, developers, and stakeholders to ensure everyone understands the intended functionality before any coding begins.
🙋🏻♂️ Explain Functional Specification Simply
Think of a functional specification like a recipe for a cake. It lists all the ingredients and steps so anyone can understand exactly how the cake should turn out, even before baking starts. Without a clear recipe, you might end up with the wrong cake or miss important steps.
📅 How Can it be used?
A functional specification aligns the team on what features a new mobile app must include before development starts.
🗺️ Real World Examples
When building an online ticket booking system, a functional specification would list all the features required, such as searching for events, selecting seats, adding tickets to the cart, and making payments. This helps the development team understand exactly what needs to be implemented and tested.
A company creating a new payroll software uses a functional specification to define how employees’ hours are entered, how tax deductions are calculated, and what reports must be generated, ensuring the final product meets all business needs.
✅ FAQ
What is a functional specification and why is it important?
A functional specification is a document that explains what a system or product should do from the users point of view. It is important because it helps everyone involved, from designers to developers, understand exactly what needs to be built before any work starts. This reduces misunderstandings and keeps the project on track.
Who uses a functional specification during a project?
Functional specifications are used by many people on a project team. Designers refer to it to plan how the product will look and feel. Developers use it to know what features to build. Stakeholders and clients use it to make sure their needs are being met. It acts as a shared reference point for everyone.
How does a functional specification help prevent problems later in development?
By clearly outlining what the system should do before any coding begins, a functional specification helps spot missing features or misunderstandings early on. This means changes can be made before much time or money is spent, making it less likely that big problems will appear later in the project.
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