How do you structure and write your technical specifications?
As part of a digital project and the drafting of specifications, technical specifications are the translation of functional specs into resources and solutions.
What technologies, hardware and architecture are you going to deploy to ensure that your web product functions optimally and meets user needs?
Discover examples, tools and advice for writing this deliverable, which is essential for scoping your web project:
What is a technical specification?
Definition of a technical specification
This is the documentation of the methods, processes and technologies selected to meet the constraints of the project.
Openclassroom
A specification defines an explicit set of requirements to be met by a product or service.
In web project management, whether for software, a website or an application, the functional specification deals with the functionality developed to satisfy a user's experience.veloped to satisfy a user's experience, while the technical specification concerns the means of implementing that functionality, such as :
- technologies ;
architecture ;
hardware.
You draw up the specifications for your digital project based on the expression of requirements.
This is why it's also known as a technical specification of need (STB), as the document translates a customer's need into technical requirements and constraints.
🤓 Example of a specification for a website:
- the functional requirement: a fast loading time ;
- the STB: the page must use HTML standards and contain images weighing less than 200 Kb.
What are its objectives?
The technical and functional specifications are drawn up after the web project has been designed and before it is implemented. This is the project launch phase.
They set out in detail how the product is to be developed to meet user needs, and what components and tools are required.
But the specs are also intended to provide a clear basis for agreement between all the stakeholders, in particular the customer, the project team and the technical team, on the services to be developed and the solutions to be used.
Example of technical specifications
Discover here an example of a specification with technical specs proposed by Openclassrooms for an online communication project.
Who writes the technical specifications?
The technical team is best placed to write this document, i.e. :
- the CTO ;
- the developers.
The Product Owner, or project/product manager, ensures that the document is properly formatted.
What do technical specifications contain?
The technical specifications may contain :
- technological choices;
- domains and hosting ;
- environment/architecture(operating system, web server and application server);
- programming requirements (computer language)
- accessibility (browser, software and device compatibility); ;
- security;
- maintenance and upgrades ;
- provisional schedule;
- glossary of technical terms.
How do you write a technical specification?
Have you defined the functional scope of the web project and written the functional specifications, translating the requirements into functionalities?
Now it's time to write the technical part of the specifications and describe how these functionalities will be implemented.
Step 1 - Choose a format
You can choose an open or closed format.
In the 1ᵉʳ case, the technical specifications focus on the performance of the features, but do not detail the technical means of achieving this, which remain at the discretion of the development team.
The closed format, on the other hand, specifies:
- the tools ;
- the process ;
- the production process for the sub-functions.
By using monday.com software for your project management, you have access to customisable product specification sheet templates, so you can formalise your expectations quickly and easily.
Step 2 - Structure your thinking
A graphical tool, such as a table or diagram, can help you structure your specs before they are written, like the FAST diagram, which starts by listing all the service functions and goes through to the functions and technical solutions.
Step 3 - Evaluate the technical choices
Are they all necessary and relevant?
If there is disagreement within the team about technical choices, the score card method can be used to rate them (out of 1) and rationalise them.
This will also enable you to justify your choices to the customer if necessary.
Step 4 - Write the technical specs
As with the functional specs, use clear, concise language.
Include a glossary at the beginning or end of the document to define the technical terms and ensure that everyone can understand them.
We have provided a sample project specification for you to complete as a basis for your work.
Recall the functional specifications and present the recommended technical solution (s) for each of them, together with the resources required.
☝️ For larger projects, draw up technical specifications for the project separately, as an appendix to the specifications, with a table of contents.
Assign a number to your document and to those responsible for it to ensure traceability.
Be specific!
Before sending your specifications back to the customer for validation, take the time to have your multi-disciplinary team review them.
Is it clear and sufficiently detailed? Is any key information missing?
Put yourself in the shoes of someone without the technical skills and make the final adjustments.
After all, this document is as much a support for your project team as it is a binding document that seals the client's agreement.
Article translated from French