Format of design documents
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As Nish has brought the subject up, How do you write design documents, what tools do you use? I tend to use Word for writing the bulk of the documentation, with Visio for providing the diagrams. I use to write all my database table definitions in Word but I'm starting to use Visio's database stuff now. I try to write design documents with the idea that other people will be writing the code. I specify the classes and what their public methods should be and how they are related to other classes. I usually write a prototype application for providing screenshots at the functional specification stage. (Usually in VB, but occassionaly I'll use MFC)I then take these screenshots and write information about what buttons should do and lengths of fields etc. Visio also comes in useful for taking my paper based flow charts and converting them into a document. Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
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As Nish has brought the subject up, How do you write design documents, what tools do you use? I tend to use Word for writing the bulk of the documentation, with Visio for providing the diagrams. I use to write all my database table definitions in Word but I'm starting to use Visio's database stuff now. I try to write design documents with the idea that other people will be writing the code. I specify the classes and what their public methods should be and how they are related to other classes. I usually write a prototype application for providing screenshots at the functional specification stage. (Usually in VB, but occassionaly I'll use MFC)I then take these screenshots and write information about what buttons should do and lengths of fields etc. Visio also comes in useful for taking my paper based flow charts and converting them into a document. Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
I am using Word right now. My PM asked me to make the screen previews using Visio. But I don't see any point in that. I prefer using C# and the form designer to create the forms just as they'd be and take a screenshot of the form. I don't see why we should waste time simulating the look and feel using Visio which is not at all an easy tool to use. Nish
Author of the romantic comedy Summer Love and Some more Cricket [New Win] Review by Shog9 Click here for review[NW]
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I am using Word right now. My PM asked me to make the screen previews using Visio. But I don't see any point in that. I prefer using C# and the form designer to create the forms just as they'd be and take a screenshot of the form. I don't see why we should waste time simulating the look and feel using Visio which is not at all an easy tool to use. Nish
Author of the romantic comedy Summer Love and Some more Cricket [New Win] Review by Shog9 Click here for review[NW]
Nishant S wrote: My PM asked me to make the screen previews using Visio. Hmm, I bet he's never tried that. I think C# is the better choice for screen-prototypes. I've been using VB (and MFC when I need a specific library component that VB doesn't have). I'm going to move over to use C# for new projects. Most of my screen-shots are prepared for the functional specification and just "inherited" into the design document. Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
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Nishant S wrote: My PM asked me to make the screen previews using Visio. Hmm, I bet he's never tried that. I think C# is the better choice for screen-prototypes. I've been using VB (and MFC when I need a specific library component that VB doesn't have). I'm going to move over to use C# for new projects. Most of my screen-shots are prepared for the functional specification and just "inherited" into the design document. Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
Michael P Butler wrote: I think C# is the better choice for screen-prototypes Actually this project is eventually being done with C# :-) The company's first .NET work :-) Nish
Author of the romantic comedy Summer Love and Some more Cricket [New Win] Review by Shog9 Click here for review[NW]
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As Nish has brought the subject up, How do you write design documents, what tools do you use? I tend to use Word for writing the bulk of the documentation, with Visio for providing the diagrams. I use to write all my database table definitions in Word but I'm starting to use Visio's database stuff now. I try to write design documents with the idea that other people will be writing the code. I specify the classes and what their public methods should be and how they are related to other classes. I usually write a prototype application for providing screenshots at the functional specification stage. (Usually in VB, but occassionaly I'll use MFC)I then take these screenshots and write information about what buttons should do and lengths of fields etc. Visio also comes in useful for taking my paper based flow charts and converting them into a document. Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
Michael P Butler wrote: How do you write design documents, what tools do you use? Visio mainly with a bit of Word to tie the bits together. I have also used good old HTML and Visio. Just export the Visio doc to SVG and then have an "index" HTML page to tie it all together. Problem there is it is multiple files and some people complain, but then you can use the HTML Help tools to combine it all into an executable or help file. Word can be a big pain when it comes to formatting large documents. Michael P Butler wrote: usually write a prototype application for providing screenshots at the functional specification stage. (Usually in VB, but occassionaly I'll use MFC)I then take these screenshots and write information about what buttons should do and lengths of fields etc. Since we do web-apps I do the page-mock-ups in HTML now. Using CSS you can position all the "this button does this blah blah" comments quite well. Also speccing forms then becomes a lot easier than using the templates in Visio. regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and to be loved in return - Moulin Rouge Alison Pentland wrote: I now have an image of you in front of the mirror in the morning, wearing your knickers, socks and shoes trying to decided if they match!
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Michael P Butler wrote: I think C# is the better choice for screen-prototypes Actually this project is eventually being done with C# :-) The company's first .NET work :-) Nish
Author of the romantic comedy Summer Love and Some more Cricket [New Win] Review by Shog9 Click here for review[NW]
Nishant S wrote: Actually this project is eventually being done with C# Even better to use the C# form editor then. Saves time when you come to implementing the system. ;-) Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
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I am using Word right now. My PM asked me to make the screen previews using Visio. But I don't see any point in that. I prefer using C# and the form designer to create the forms just as they'd be and take a screenshot of the form. I don't see why we should waste time simulating the look and feel using Visio which is not at all an easy tool to use. Nish
Author of the romantic comedy Summer Love and Some more Cricket [New Win] Review by Shog9 Click here for review[NW]
That's pretty much how I do it to. Do you guys include a "what is .NET and why are we gonna use it" type section in your external design docs? I really don't see the point in this, unless the client actually cares. Also, should a section on methodologies be included? Again, I don't see why? It's internal information at the end of the day. Cheers, Simon "Sign up for a chance to be among the first to experience the wrath of the gods.", Microsoft's home page (24/06/2002)
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That's pretty much how I do it to. Do you guys include a "what is .NET and why are we gonna use it" type section in your external design docs? I really don't see the point in this, unless the client actually cares. Also, should a section on methodologies be included? Again, I don't see why? It's internal information at the end of the day. Cheers, Simon "Sign up for a chance to be among the first to experience the wrath of the gods.", Microsoft's home page (24/06/2002)
SimonS wrote: Do you guys include a "what is .NET and why are we gonna use it" type section in your external design docs? I really don't see the point in this, unless the client actually cares. I tend to give a quick overview of what platform and language the system will be deployed on. I don't tend to justify the reasons unless I feel like there may be conflict from the developers. Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
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As Nish has brought the subject up, How do you write design documents, what tools do you use? I tend to use Word for writing the bulk of the documentation, with Visio for providing the diagrams. I use to write all my database table definitions in Word but I'm starting to use Visio's database stuff now. I try to write design documents with the idea that other people will be writing the code. I specify the classes and what their public methods should be and how they are related to other classes. I usually write a prototype application for providing screenshots at the functional specification stage. (Usually in VB, but occassionaly I'll use MFC)I then take these screenshots and write information about what buttons should do and lengths of fields etc. Visio also comes in useful for taking my paper based flow charts and converting them into a document. Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
Michael P Butler wrote: How do you write design documents, what tools do you use? Cocktail napkins, of course! Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)
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Michael P Butler wrote: How do you write design documents, what tools do you use? Cocktail napkins, of course! Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)
Christopher Duncan wrote: Cocktail napkins For really large, complex projects you can unfold them and turn them over. Or, if you frequent the fancier places, use the backside of the paper placemats they often provide. Never use the front side, though. I did that once and, in the middle of a customer demo, a dialog popped up offering a free car wash with a paid gas fillup. "Knock, knock." "Who's there?" "Recursion." "Recursion who?" "Knock, knock..."
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Michael P Butler wrote: How do you write design documents, what tools do you use? Cocktail napkins, of course! Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)
We Brits tend to use the back of cigarette packets ;-) Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
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Nishant S wrote: Actually this project is eventually being done with C# Even better to use the C# form editor then. Saves time when you come to implementing the system. ;-) Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
Michael P Butler wrote: Saves time when you come to implementing the system. It's not a good idea to build a UI prototype and then use that as a base for the real app, mostly because for the prototype you make quick fixes to get the interface working. Of course, if you only want to take screenshots, it's not a bad idea (still have to think about hardcoding strings for localization purposes and all that, so it may not save that much implementation time) -- LuisR ────────────── Luis Alonso Ramos Chihuahua, Mexico www.luisalonsoramos.com "Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics, I assure you that mine are greater." -- Albert Einstein
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Michael P Butler wrote: Saves time when you come to implementing the system. It's not a good idea to build a UI prototype and then use that as a base for the real app, mostly because for the prototype you make quick fixes to get the interface working. Of course, if you only want to take screenshots, it's not a bad idea (still have to think about hardcoding strings for localization purposes and all that, so it may not save that much implementation time) -- LuisR ────────────── Luis Alonso Ramos Chihuahua, Mexico www.luisalonsoramos.com "Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics, I assure you that mine are greater." -- Albert Einstein
Luis Alonso Ramos wrote: It's not a good idea to build a UI prototype and then use that as a base for the real app, mostly because for the prototype you make quick fixes to get the interface working. Agreed. Most of the time I just take the dialog resource and import it into the main project. Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
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Christopher Duncan wrote: Cocktail napkins For really large, complex projects you can unfold them and turn them over. Or, if you frequent the fancier places, use the backside of the paper placemats they often provide. Never use the front side, though. I did that once and, in the middle of a customer demo, a dialog popped up offering a free car wash with a paid gas fillup. "Knock, knock." "Who's there?" "Recursion." "Recursion who?" "Knock, knock..."
Roger Wright wrote: Never use the front side, though. I did that once and, in the middle of a customer demo, a dialog popped up offering a free car wash with a paid gas fillup. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)
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We Brits tend to use the back of cigarette packets ;-) Michael :-) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
Michael P Butler wrote: We Brits tend to use the back of cigarette packets Well, the English are a creative lot... :-) Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)