SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENTATION

INTRODUCTION Documentation can be tied into the entire software development cycle. Unfortunately, documentation is often an afterthought. This presentation defines 5 important software development documents.

OVERVIEW The software development process should include the following documents: 1. Market Requirements Document (MRD) 2. Product Requirements Document (PRD) 3. Design Documents 4. Specifications 5. Test Cases

MARKET REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT (MRD) The market requirements document is: Created by Marketing Explains what the marketplace is looking for Identifies important product features

PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT (PRD) The product requirements document is: Created by Product Management Explains how the product will fulfill the Market Requirements Document (MRD) Lists and describes key product features

DESIGN DOCUMENTS Design documents are: Created by Development Explain, often in substantial technical detail, how the product will be designed Indicates how the product design will fulfill the Product Requirements Document (PRD)

SPECIFICATIONS Specification documents are: Created by Development Indicate precisely how the product should behave in certain conditions May apply to internal operations, external operations, and the user interface Serves as basis for test cases

TEST CASES Test cases are: Created by Quality Assurance (QA) Verifies that the product fulfills the Product Requirements Document (PRD) Validates that the product conforms to specifications Serves as basis for end user documentation

END-USER DOCUMENTATION End-user documentation: Is created by a technical writer Provides installation instructions Explains how to use the product