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At my location, functional specs include (business) use cases. Before
the functional specs are written, management has already, in theory,
agreed to the modifications to our software set.
Jan Arnopolin
Technical Writer
Hubbard One
Thomson Reuters
-----Original Message-----
From:
techwr-l-bounces+jan -dot- arnopolin=thomsonreuters -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jan -dot- arnopolin=thomsonreuters -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l
.com] On Behalf Of Keith Hood
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 11:01 AM
To: Jill Mohan; Peter Neilson
Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Requirements Clarification
I think there is some reason to believe the wikipedia article needs
work. It says that functional requirements and use cases are the same
thing. Not according to what I've been told.
The way I've always understood it, a functional requirement describes
some capability that the software must have, such as being able using IM
to communicate. A functional requirement is a document that is related
only to the software itself. It would tell the reader what the software
must be able to do and, where relevant, set parameters needed for
operation. For example, a requirement that the software communicate by
using IM may also specify which port the IM should use, and specify
timeout limits.
A use case is a document that relates to interactions between some part
of the software and a user. It describes actions that are taken by the
software and the user in response to each other. Usually a human user,
but a use case can also set rules about what is done when there is
activity between different parts of the system. A use case sets rules
about the behavior of the software, so where an FR sets WHAT the
software can do, a use case set HOW it does things.
That's the way I've always understood it. Your mileage may vary.
--- On Thu, 7/23/09, Peter Neilson <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net> wrote:
> From: Peter Neilson <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net>
> Subject: Re: Requirements Clarification
> To: "Jill Mohan" <jillemo -at- gmail -dot- com>
> Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Date: Thursday, July 23, 2009, 11:15 AM Your work is already done:
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_Requirements_Specification
>
> The assumption here is that the information in Wikipedia is true,
> complete, and useful.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table
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Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help
2009 tips, tricks, and best practices. http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual authors
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2009 tips, tricks, and best practices. http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
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