Accessible Functional Specifications

Situation

Government agency has over 450 pages in 28 functional specifications developed by different staff to no standard format over a period of 10 years.

Issues

• Difficult to find business logic because no standard format.
• Business analysts not using specifications because of need to made through technical details.

Involvement

• Six weeks intensive editing and rewording.

Solutions

• Substantial editing to use standard structure for all 28 specifications.
• Detailed editing to rewrite all content in second person, present tense and active mood.
• Separate business logic from technical detail with cross-references where needed.

Result

New functional specifications work as accessible documents for business analysts and technical support staff.