by Dwayne Phillips Systems are built to satisfy the requirements of the user. Sometimes, engineers want to add things, i.e., they desire to add things. Such are “desire-ments,” and they can kill projects. I walked into an existing project. Well, I wasn’t in the middle of the project, but I was to work with a […]
Entries Tagged as 'Requirements'
Desirements
May 12th, 2011 · No Comments
Tags: Fun · General Systems Thinking · Requirements · Work
Return on Specification Investment
February 3rd, 2011 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips How specific should a system specification be? How many resources should the spec consume? I propose a measure to help answer these questions – the Return on Specification Investment. A few years ago, I was reviewing a specification for a system that someone in the office had written. I came to one […]
Tags: Communication · Design · Requirements · Systems · Technology · Work
The Technology Imperative
June 7th, 2010 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips The Technology Imperative states that if a new technology exists, we need it. Logic and business school lessons don’t matter. It happened again this week. I was visiting someone at their office in another building. The man I was visiting was slouched over in his chair with a face that asked, “Why […]
Tags: Apple · Culture · iPad · Meetings · Requirements · Technology
Making an RVTM with “Click-able” Links
March 25th, 2010 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips A challenge in systems engineering is tracing from requirements through design and implementation to testing. This is done in almost all development methods (often people do this without realizing it). I show a method of tracing that uses Microsoft Word features and link to a video demonstration of the technique. A Requirements […]
Tags: Design · Requirements · Systems · Word
The Dinner Design Review
March 15th, 2010 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Design reviews can be important parts of projects. At design reviews, we attempt to communicate clearly and minimize misunderstandings. There are several design reviews that are important to the success of a project. This essay describes one design review that people want to have but should never be allowed. We have design […]
Tags: Communication · Design · Expectations · Health · Ideas · Judgment · Meetings · Requirements · Systems
Improving the Work
January 25th, 2010 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Systems builders should concentrate on one thing – improving the work of the people who will use the system. Sometimes we lose sight of what we are doing. We build systems. Why? Well, to make money for our employer. We hope the system makes money for the organization that uses it. This […]
Tags: General Systems Thinking · Requirements · Systems