TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
As for the software requirements, in this case they have several possible target audiences: coders, testers, users (or their proxies), regulatory and quality staff, marketing, management, etc. For all of those, Fred's solution was immediately and obviously the best choice: "The RCP shall allow but not require the user to schlep the pekele."
-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Hood
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 9:13 PM
To: Dan Goldstein; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: "Allow" vs. "Require"
These are requirements you're working with. A requirement is just that - something that is required. It's something that the software must do. So the requirement should be written as an imperative - the software will or the software must.
For the purpose statement of the requirement, just put "The RCP will provide the user a mechanism for schlepping the pekele."
That says what functionality has to be built in but allows a lot of slop in deciding exactly how to implement it, just the way programmers want it.
When you write the specs for that requirement, there's where you can put in nitpicking about whether the pekele schlepping dialog box is modal, whether or not it has a cancel button, etc.
What the frabjapping bleep is a pekele?
This message contains confidential information intended only for the use of the addressee(s). If you are not the addressee, or the person responsible for delivering it to the addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, disseminating, distributing, copying, electronic storing or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message by mistake, please notify us, by replying to the sender, and delete the original message immediately thereafter. Thank you.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help. Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need.
Try Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
