Design
Design creates a framework for the product based upon requirements. Design documents usually include the following:
General description of how the product performs the tasks described in the requirements
Lists of menus presented to the user
Sketches of screens that the product displays
Conventions used in menus and screens
Descriptions of data sources used by the product
Details about any components used
Special considerations, such as how platform differences are handled
A good design document tells programmers what they need to do but not how to do it. Designs are subject to change, so it is best if they aren’t so complex that they are difficult to read or revise.
It is easiest to make changes during design, and it’s important to take time to think things through. However, it’s unrealistic to think a design is ever perfect. Devote a reasonable amount of time to the initial design, then plan on making updates along the way.
Get Programming Excel with VBA and .NET now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
