Media: Zef[a]media looks at Software Specifications with Vision

Zef Fugaz argues that when it comes to building software many companies unnecessarily struggle with design and development issues. Much of this is due to software specifications without adequate pictures...

'The industry whisperings are that software technical specifications confuse a significant percentage of the very smart people involved (although they rarely realise this at the time). The writer isn't always to blame. They have a daunting task in trying to communicate a complex system in mainly words. While the typical software specifications do contain some technical diagrams (including flow-charts, UML diagrams and the odd rudimentary screen mock-up), it frequently isn't enough.

Fugaz lists a number of reasons for this:

Own Goals
'If your analysts haven't researched the goals of users and the business then the project team will not be able to contextualize their understanding of the specifications. Instead they will assume what is required based on hearsay and their own view of the world.'

Opaque Thoughts
'When team members get together to discuss technical documentation there is a lot of essential information hidden from view. This is stored in each persons thought processes. While everyone at the table might nod in agreement, does each person hold the same picture in their head as everyone else? How do you know for sure?'

Isolation Tanks
'Software developers are often instructed to start building features in a modular fashion and to "just get on with it". There's rarely a comprehensive vision of the end goal, leading to inconsistent code and designs.'

The article is well illustrated, both literally and figuratively, with examples from industries that know what to do with image.

Associated Link: Software Specifications with Vision

Use Your Users’ Language - And Use It Well!
Source: Multilingual Search, 20 March 2010
 
British English is very different from (US ) American English and Australian English. It is so very important to use your users’ language.

Cyber-criminals don't need Technical Skills
Source: SFGate, 19 March 2010
 
The unexpected downside of great usability.

Advice on Designing Mobile Sites and Apps
Source: Poynter Online, 18 March 2010
 
Series of useful tips from a recent panel discussion.

Website Usability and Conversion
Source: UsabilityBlog, 17 March 2010
 
Useful presentation on the relationship between website usability and conversion.

Tips for Usability Testing with Children
Source: Econsultancy, 16 March 2010
 
Not even chocolate will help you here.

The Hygiene Factor of Usability
Source: inspireUX, 15 March 2010
 
Is it true that usability can no longer take us 'beyond lack of dissatisfaction'?

The Business Benefits of building Accessible websites
Source: Econsultancy, 13 March 2010
 
There’s a good business case for making your website more accessible to the UK’s disabled community.

Internet access is 'a fundamental right'
Source: BBC, 12 March 2010
 
Almost four in five people around the world believe that access to the internet is a fundamental right, a poll for the BBC World Service suggests.

The Net generation, Unplugged
Source: The Economist, 11 March 2010
 
Is it really helpful to talk about a new generation of "digital natives" who have grown up with the internet?

Rewriting the Human-Computer interaction Handbook
Source: CIOL, 10 March 2010
 
Indrani Medhi of Microsoft Research India has developed text-free user interfaces (UIs) to allow any illiterate or semi-literate person on first contact with a computer, to proceed with minimal or no assistance.