User Requirements

Subject: User Requirements
From: Mike Dannenberg <100767 -dot- 707 -at- COMPUSERVE -dot- COM>
Date: Mon, 6 May 1996 16:24:45 EDT

> Giving users just what they want rather than what they really need is a common
> trap that software development falls into when writing requirements. The
> argument for this is that "we are customer oriented." Requirements then become
> the verbatim requests of the customer.

Quite. In the project where I work right now, they have things like the same
Print command in two different menus of the menu bar. When I asked
one of the developers, whether that wasn't a bit absurd, he shrugged and
said "user requirement". Most of the users are of the "VMS is the only
really cool operating system, and real men don't use mice anyway" kind
of persuasion, so designing a GUI application to their spec may
not be such a wonderful idea.

Peace,

Mike

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Dannenberg
100767 -dot- 707 -at- compuserve -dot- com

"... but I am a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm to my wit."
William Shakespeare
Twelfth Night, Act 1 Scene 3

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