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I have an interview Monday where I'm supposed to talk
about technical specifications I have written. I have
"written" *functional* specs (with data sent to me by
developers) but I have never heard of a document
called a Technical Specification.
Since different organizations/industries call
documents by different names (For example, is it a doc
plan or a doc spec??) I am hoping they mean functional
spec. (Yes, I asked the women who screened me, but she
didn't know and I didn't want to too boldly flag my
ignorance.)
So I researched and am pretty comfortable with the
following *other* specification definitions:
Target Specification (a/k/a Design Brief, Marketing
Wish List, Marketing Requirements Document) describes
the primary purpose of an item and the general
marketing requirements. It gives essential guidance on
matters such as style, performance, appearance,
conditions of use, characteristics, packaging,
reliability, maintenance and manufacturing volumes.
The Target Specification could be the document that is
brought to MyCompany by the client, or may be the
result of a feasibility study. It forms the basis of a
design, evolving into the Requirements Specification.
Requirements Specification translates the Target
Specification into objective and quantifiable
requirements, which are still independent of any
particular solution.
The Functional Specification provides the first
top-level description of the product and its use. It
describes in detail the characteristics of an item,
and identifies technical solutions to the
requirements. Thus it will incorporate an
Architectural Specification (or Defining
Specification) which outlines the technical approach
that is required to implement the Requirements
Specification. It may also include an outline
acceptance strategy (later refined into the Acceptance
Test Specification).
An Engineering Specification is a detailed definition,
in engineering terms, of the architecture and function
of the product, or of a clearly identified sub-system
within it.
The Detail Design (the Drawing Package) describes the
product in detail, for development and manufacturing
purposes. An Acceptance Test Specification (or Test
Specification, Acceptance Specification, Design
Proving Test) describes in detail the criteria for
acceptance of a design.
An Acceptance Test Procedure (or Test Procedure, Test
Specification) describes in detail the methods of
conducting design proving tests including, if
necessary, the criteria for assessing the results.
A Process Specification (or Process Planning Document
(PPD)). For discrete items only, it describes in
detail the method of assembling or producing an item.
For plant, it describes the control of facilities used
in the treatment of an item or commodity.
A Process Requirement Specification defines the
requirements for the manufacturing process (i.e. a
Requirements Specification for the process).
So, am I crazy or is there a distinction between
technical and functional spec?
Please reply directly; I'm on digest and need to
prepare for the interview.
Thanks
Kelly
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