Wiley Telling Stories: A Short Path to Writing Better Software Requirements 978-0-470-43700-1 User Manual
Product codes
978-0-470-43700-1
Telling Stories
17
announcements, and the e‑mails, let alone the software requirements? There
are now far more people who can write good Java code working in technology
than can write a clear sentence. When it comes time to write requirements,
it honestly doesn’t occur to many people working in technology to go find a
writer; they’ve never met one, and there aren’t any on staff.
are now far more people who can write good Java code working in technology
than can write a clear sentence. When it comes time to write requirements,
it honestly doesn’t occur to many people working in technology to go find a
writer; they’ve never met one, and there aren’t any on staff.
Education has been emphasizing science, math, and engineering for over a
generation and writing has been devalued as a professional skill, left to liberal
arts majors, poets, novelists, journalists, and other miscreants.
arts majors, poets, novelists, journalists, and other miscreants.
There are, however, a few hardy souls hidden in technology companies and
IT departments who can skim this book and report for duty tomorrow, ready
to write requirements better than most of the people doing the work now.
Strangely, many of these people do not know what software requirements are.
They are called technical writers. Most often they write end‑user documenta‑
tion: online help systems, manuals, website content, runbooks, and the like.
The best are those writing technical documentation for engineers: functional
specifications, programming manuals, operations guides, and so on.
to write requirements better than most of the people doing the work now.
Strangely, many of these people do not know what software requirements are.
They are called technical writers. Most often they write end‑user documenta‑
tion: online help systems, manuals, website content, runbooks, and the like.
The best are those writing technical documentation for engineers: functional
specifications, programming manuals, operations guides, and so on.
Good technical writers usually begin with strong writing skills and have
learned enough technology to work well with engineers and developers to
communicate effectively with a wide range of end users and technology people.
Many have participated in the software development process enough to under‑
stand much of the nuance and language. They have worked on many projects
and are good at interviewing subject matter experts and learning technology
quickly. They can also write a lot faster and better, and therefore cheaper, than
software developers or business users. Of course they do not start out with
the information in their heads, so it may seem like more time is required for
interviews and subsequent reviews. But overall, technical writers require much
less of important people’s time than developers do in writing requirements.
(As a former technical writer, I have to confess a strong bias in discussing our
advantages in the requirements process.)
communicate effectively with a wide range of end users and technology people.
Many have participated in the software development process enough to under‑
stand much of the nuance and language. They have worked on many projects
and are good at interviewing subject matter experts and learning technology
quickly. They can also write a lot faster and better, and therefore cheaper, than
software developers or business users. Of course they do not start out with
the information in their heads, so it may seem like more time is required for
interviews and subsequent reviews. But overall, technical writers require much
less of important people’s time than developers do in writing requirements.
(As a former technical writer, I have to confess a strong bias in discussing our
advantages in the requirements process.)
Aside from software development managers and project managers, the most
common title for writers of requirements is business analyst or requirements
analyst. These analysts come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Some are
former developers who found they liked the work better than programming,
some were project managers, and some worked in a line of business and man‑
aged the relationship with the software developers. Some of these analysts are
excellent at their jobs, but most are better at what they started out doing than
they are at writing and communicating.
analyst. These analysts come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Some are
former developers who found they liked the work better than programming,
some were project managers, and some worked in a line of business and man‑
aged the relationship with the software developers. Some of these analysts are
excellent at their jobs, but most are better at what they started out doing than
they are at writing and communicating.
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