No one reads functional specs

It's nice to see Mark Baartse, who I had the pleasure of working with at MSN UK, blogging again and raising the age old issue of "marketing versus techies". However I'm going to take issue with his latest entry, in particular

"no one reads functional specs. Its tough, but get over it."

Now this is something we all know, it certainly happened to me before, however it's not something that should be dismissed with a simple "get over it". My situation was different, it was an internal project, so no marketing people involved, instead the functional specs were presented to the business. The same problem arose, no-one wants to read a 40 page document which is drier than crackers in a desert. However they should. It's all about presenting it, getting buy in. It's too easy for users to say "I want this, make it happen" and take no responsibility for what comes next. Mark invites product "owners" to fully specify what they want, but that's not enough. A functional specification is the developer's (or preferably a combination of developers and business analysts) view on what specifications mean. It's the meeting point between technical and non-technical people but neither side takes it seriously. That has to change. Time must be set aside from "business as usual" processes for the owners and the geeks to meet and force each other to go through the functional specifications, as a developer you should be pushing hard to get that cultural change into your business. The functional spec should belong to both parties. Both "sides" should be equally responsible for checking the document and checking the developers have everything right. It's not a change to catch each other out; it's an opportunity to get it right at the beginning.

Mark, it's not "tough", it's a huge cultural mistake and one that needs to be fixed, not ignored. A clear functional spec is more important than the full requirements document you desire and call for.

But people, please, technical specifications are not for end users. No matter how many Visio diagrams you have.

Thursday, August 04, 2005 12:04 PM

Your Comments.

# re: No one reads functional specs

I fully agree that there is a problem. What I don't agree with is the solution: forcing people to read functional specs. I think we need to think creatively and find new alternatives that meet everyones goals rather than proceeding bloody mindedly with a "thou must read the spec" approach.

For example, on a project I recently worked on which was a critical project with a very diverse group of stakeholders, I built a HTML mock up of the application, all smoke and mirrors, not a database in site, which went through and showed how the app would work. People who had been involved in the project suddenly went "ahhh, so THAT'S what it does!". There are no easy answers, but it's important enough to look for solutions.

Left by Mark at 8/4/2005 1:39 PM

# re: No one reads functional specs

OK "forcing" is a bad word. It's a matter of selling responsibility; if both "sides" realise that document is a joint document and without it they project can, and most likely will, fail then the importance should become clear.

Once the importance is clear the commitment from both sides to reading the spec and checking it should come automatically. It's not a "bloody minded" you must, but it's a changing the mindset so people realise they must themselves. No-one likes to be forced, people need to be lead.

At least until managers get involved and tell people they have more important work to do.

Left by BarryD at 8/4/2005 1:42 PM

# re: No one reads functional specs

Fair point, I agree the leading approach is certainly a good start. However, it's still a fundamentally unnatural act. I'm moderately technical and understand the benefits of it, but I still HATE reading them. And even worse, by the time I've finished, I usually have no idea what they are about - there's lots of talk about the trees, but no one knows what the forest looks like.

Left by Mark at 8/4/2005 1:50 PM

# re: No one reads functional specs

Well that's an attitude thing;

The forest is the specifications, but the functional spec is the map through, not a list of tree positions. The key change is it must be viewed as a joint document. The easy way to break it down, via emails, wiki, sharepoint, whatever is to verify each step. Break the spec down point by point, produce a functional spec for that individual bit, verify it with the marketing/business person in small steps. That way you get a quicker response, greater managability and both parties feel invovled and will be more likely to view the process as a collaberative effort and take responsibility for checking the final product.

(Moderately technical? Hah! That's what moving down under does to you, the heat sapped your geek power!)

Left by BarryD at 8/4/2005 1:53 PM

# marketers vs techies

Mark Baartse, an ex-Microsoftie working at the Australian subsidiary and recentlyat Redmond, has started...

Left by Alex Barnett blog at 8/5/2005 3:14 AM

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# re: No one reads functional specs
I fully agree that there is a problem. What I don't agree with is the solution: forcing people to read functional specs. I think we need to think creatively and find new alternatives that meet everyones goals rather than proceeding bloody mindedly with a "thou must read the spec" approach.

For example, on a project I recently worked on which was a critical project with a very diverse group of stakeholders, I built a HTML mock up of the application, all smoke and mirrors, not a database in site, which went through and showed how the app would work. People who had been involved in the project suddenly went "ahhh, so THAT'S what it does!". There are no easy answers, but it's important enough to look for solutions.

Left by Mark at 8/4/2005 1:39 PM
# re: No one reads functional specs
OK "forcing" is a bad word. It's a matter of selling responsibility; if both "sides" realise that document is a joint document and without it they project can, and most likely will, fail then the importance should become clear.

Once the importance is clear the commitment from both sides to reading the spec and checking it should come automatically. It's not a "bloody minded" you must, but it's a changing the mindset so people realise they must themselves. No-one likes to be forced, people need to be lead.

At least until managers get involved and tell people they have more important work to do.

Left by BarryD at 8/4/2005 1:42 PM
# re: No one reads functional specs
Fair point, I agree the leading approach is certainly a good start. However, it's still a fundamentally unnatural act. I'm moderately technical and understand the benefits of it, but I still HATE reading them. And even worse, by the time I've finished, I usually have no idea what they are about - there's lots of talk about the trees, but no one knows what the forest looks like.

Left by Mark at 8/4/2005 1:50 PM
# re: No one reads functional specs
Well that's an attitude thing;

The forest is the specifications, but the functional spec is the map through, not a list of tree positions. The key change is it must be viewed as a joint document. The easy way to break it down, via emails, wiki, sharepoint, whatever is to verify each step. Break the spec down point by point, produce a functional spec for that individual bit, verify it with the marketing/business person in small steps. That way you get a quicker response, greater managability and both parties feel invovled and will be more likely to view the process as a collaberative effort and take responsibility for checking the final product.

(Moderately technical? Hah! That's what moving down under does to you, the heat sapped your geek power!)

Left by BarryD at 8/4/2005 1:53 PM
# marketers vs techies
Mark Baartse, an ex-Microsoftie working at the Australian subsidiary and recentlyat Redmond, has started...

Left by Alex Barnett blog at 8/5/2005 3:14 AM

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