AVCE Information and Communication Technology/Programming/Program specification

A program specification is a break-down of what is required of a new program. Writing a specification is the first stage of any development process. A good specification will leave no room for doubt about exactly what is required from a program. It will be specific and allow a finish product to be compared to it to determine whether the project has been successful. User Needs All computer programs are created with an end-user in mind; the person who will eventually use the program being written on a regular basis. In order to write a specification for a new program a conversation with the end-user is required to determine: What system, if any, is currently in-place. What the program outputs will be. What form the output needs to take. What processing is required to generate the necessary output What inputs are required. Where those inputs are going to come from. What user-actions are possible or desirable. Writing a Specification When writing a program specification you need to be able to accurately and precisely define: Inputs Processes Outputs