Enduring Ideas in the Realm of Software
A Scenario and Feature Frame is a quick way to show your project’s incremental value and dependencies. It’s helpful for showing your management what you’ll deliver in terms of a baseline release. It’s helpful for you in terms of finding ways to reduce dependencies. If you have a bunch of scenarios that depend on certain …
Photo by Wonderlane What’s a scenario? Not everybody uses the term “scenario” the same way. In the software industry, there’s three common usages of scenario: The same as a use case. A path through a use case. An instance of a use case. Usually, the most helpful one is “an instance of a use case.” …
“Use cases are to software what stories are to novels.” — Unknown As a software developer or a product manager, writing use cases can be an essential step in the development process to ensure that the software solution meets the needs of its users. Use cases can help you to understand the requirements of the …
“Precision of communication is important, more important than ever, in our era of hair trigger balances, when a false or misunderstood word may create as much disaster as a sudden thoughtless act.” — James Thurber. As someone who has worked at Microsoft for several years, I’ve often found myself in debates over whether it’s necessary …
“Start with the end in mind.” — Stephen Covey Having worked at Microsoft for several years, I have learned that one of the key ways to ensure successful software development is to start with a clear understanding of user goals, business goals, and system goals. Too often, people jump right into the details of a …
