Application Specifications - What do you get from clients? 9

[1DMF]

I thought I would share the latest application specification I received from my boss, as I'm sure you could do with a good laugh.

Yup, he took a photo with his mobile of a wipe board he designed the application on with the office manager and sent it to me via email as the specicication for a new application they wanted building.

So what specifications do you get from you boss or client?

"In complete darkness we are all the same, only our knowledge and wisdom separates us, don't let your eyes deceive you."

"If a shortcut was meant to be easy, it wouldn't be a shortcut, it would be the way!"

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[CajunCenturion]

They say a picture of worth a thousand words, but then again ...

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[2ffat]

Love it!

So what specifications do you get from you boss or client?

They say, "Just do it" since they rarely know what they want. As a result, I constantly tweak programs and reports to do or show what they expect.



James P. Cottingham
[sup]I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229![/sup]

 

[SamBones]

They say a picture of worth a thousand words, but then again ...

A thousand words, yes, but most of those can't be repeated in mixed company.

 

[SantaMufasa]

Build a quick strawman application from the specs. Then, when it doesn't do what they wanted, you will at least have something tangible for them to specify more cleary what they do want. (Just tell them that the App Version 1 was what you got from their Spec Version 1.)

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
“People may forget what you say, but they will never forget how you made them feel.

 

[judgeh59]

My favorite has been...

"That's exacting what I asked for, but not what I wanted"

ick........

Be Alert, America needs more lerts

 

[kjv1611]

1DMF,

That's hilarious! Well, it's all to common with many areas of tech support, application support, etc.

Of course, sometimes the best ideas come from scratching stuff out on white boards. But then you need to be able to explain it in the end, rather than just say "here you go."

I know folks here at work like it, so I've began to make it more of a habit in some meetings. And while I'm at it, have a little fun with it.

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57

 

[DataDog]

When I ask for Report Specs, they say, just get to work, we'll know what we want when we see it!

That's when I tell them "I write Crystal Reports, I don't have a Crystal Ball."

DataDog
If God wanted us to count in Hexadecimal, then why did he only give us A fingers?

 

[mintjulep]

Perhaps I shouldn't admit that I have more than a few pictures of whiteboards on my phone.

But they are relatively rare compared to the pictures of things sketched on Starbucks napkins.

 

[mscallisto]

I think it has something to do with football

sam

 

[philhege]

Make it do whatever we want it to do."
Alice on Requirements

I hated methodologies and deliverables until I started dealing with the Masters of Scope Creep[sup]TM[/sup].

It's fun to watch people stammer and bleat "That isn't really what we wanted!" when I show them a copy of the requirements document that they signed.

Specifications? Pshaw. Just make it work.

-------++NO CARRIER++-------

 

[1DMF]

The ironic thing is I guess , I finished the first beta of the application yesterday and although it looks nothing like they designed on the wipe board, it functions exactly as they want it to.

As you say, CC a thousands words is better than a picture and so I had to call a meeting so they could explain WTF that was they send me in the email!

There was a reason I sent myself back to school and the designing applications with Visual Basic course via the OU I took last year, looked nothing like that when providing a specification for a new GUI!

No qualification can prepare you for real life application development, especially when your boss seems to be a fan of Lowry!

"In complete darkness we are all the same, only our knowledge and wisdom separates us, don't let your eyes deceive you."

"If a shortcut was meant to be easy, it wouldn't be a shortcut, it would be the way!"

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[1DMF]

I thought I would add some perspective regarding the OU course I took. This is an actual answer I provided to an assignment question when requested to provide a GUI specification.

Can any one spot the similarity?

"In complete darkness we are all the same, only our knowledge and wisdom separates us, don't let your eyes deceive you."

"If a shortcut was meant to be easy, it wouldn't be a shortcut, it would be the way!"

Free Electronic Dance Music Downloads

 

[ChrisHirst]

I once got a "specification" for a "web interface" that was similar to the above, only it was written/drawn on a Greggs paper bag using black marker pen!!!!!!

(For non-UKers) "Greggs" are a high street bakers/purveyors of sandwiches, sausage rolls and pasties.


There's nothing quite like dealing with professionals!

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.
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[1DMF]

Does anyone get a proper specifications?

Are the specifications I get from my boss typical?

I'm curious as to where reality lies between industry and academia in general.


"In complete darkness we are all the same, only our knowledge and wisdom separates us, don't let your eyes deceive you."

"If a shortcut was meant to be easy, it wouldn't be a shortcut, it would be the way!"

Free Electronic Dance Music Downloads

 

[Andrzejek]

In my experience I have too often “Yes, this is what I asked for, but that’s not what I want. Re-do it.” scenario.

And another approach that happens way too often:
Users ask for an application, or a piece of a bigger application, and ‘hide’ important information, or give me just a small part of the ‘truth’. I don’t know why – maybe they assume I know their jobs and I do know all the important details about their jobs? And even if I do ask questions, they only give me the ‘minimum’ answer, never the whole picture. But I am not in the business of ‘stealing’ what they know, I am not in the competition with them. Believe it or not, I am trying to help them, and they fight it all the way.

There was a situation where a part of the program should take – the most - a few months. During that time we had a lot of meetings about it, and in each and every meeting I found something new I have never know or heard about. And it all related to the program. It was like dragging out national security information or details of Area 51 (which does not exist, of course - wink, wink... ). To complete the program, it took over 4 years! Fighting all the way.

Anybody knows: why?


Have fun.

---- Andy

 

[ChrisHirst]

It was like dragging out national security information or details of Area 51 (which does not exist, of course - wink, wink... smile ). To complete the program, it took over 4 years! Fighting all the way.

Oh dear [deity of choice], How uncannily familar that is.


And on specfications and product delivery.

http://pages.uoregon.edu/ftepfer/SchlFacilities/TireSwingTable.html

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.
Webmaster Forum

 

[1DMF]

In my experience I have too often "Yes, this is what I asked for, but that's not what I want. Re-do it." scenario.

If they are capable of analysing what you provided is what they asked for, why didn't they ask for what they wanted?

I guess in that respect I've been lucky, they may have trouble articulating what they want, but they do seem to know what they want so at least what I deliver they are happy with.

Well hold that thought, we are about to go live on wednesday with the first version of the above application, so I'll let you kow if it actually delivers what they were expecting ;-)

"In complete darkness we are all the same, only our knowledge and wisdom separates us, don't let your eyes deceive you."

"If a shortcut was meant to be easy, it wouldn't be a shortcut, it would be the way!"

Free Electronic Dance Music Downloads

 

[Andrzejek]

If they are capable of analysing what you provided is what they asked for, why didn't they ask for what they wanted?

That is a $40 000 question.
If I ever find the answer, I will let you know....

Have fun.

---- Andy

 

[N1GHTEYES]

You could take the approach I sometimes adopt, which is to start by writing a spec that contains details I can work with and which reflects what I think they are after. Then I email it to them and say, this is what I will be working to unless you say otherwise.

I don't always do that - it is not worth it if it takes as long as doing the job would.

However that strategy applies to all kinds of jobs, not just apps, so I quite often find it useful.

Tony