1. G&W Chapter 5: Starting Points Software Specification Lecture 12
Prepared by
Stephen M. Thebaut, Ph.D.
University of Florida

2. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5
Let’s do something different in this lecture. Let’s decide what to do NEXT time…
“I think we need to bring a large, round desk into the lecture room that has an opening in the middle large enough for me to sit in a chair, and several computer monitors connected to web cameras on every student’s machine.”
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

3. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5
Another idea…
“We have a wireless network up-and-running in this building. Let’s all come to this location with laptops next time and… Well, just bring them and we’ll figure something out to do with them.”
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

4. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5
Okay, how about…
“Let’s make the next lecture like a cross between “Firing Line” and “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood”.”
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

5. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5
Or…
“Let’s go observe one of Prof. Dankel’s AI lectures and then make our next one even better!”
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

6. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5
Then…
“Let’s just dream-up a script for the next lecture and see if it’s what we want to do.”
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

7. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5
Or, finally…
“We could call the next lecture, ‘All About Starting Points’.”
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

8. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5
Summary
“I think we need to bring a large, round desk into the lecture room that has an opening in the middle large enough for me to sit in a chair...”
(Solution Idea)
“We have a wireless network up-and-running in this building. Let’s all come to this location with laptops next time and… ”
(Technology Idea)
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

9. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5
Summary (cont’d)
“Let’s make the next lecture like a cross between “Firing Line” and “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood”.”
(Simile)
“Let’s go observe one of Prof. Dankel’s AI lectures and then make our next one even better!”
(Norm)
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

10. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5
Summary (cont’d)
“Let’s just dream-up a script for the next lecture and see if it’s what we want to do.”
(Mockup)
“We could call the next lecture, ‘All About Starting Points’.”
(Name)
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

11. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5
So what’s the point?
All these starting points have one thing in common: the assumption that a solution to a problem exists. The remainder of requirements work can be seen as a clarification of that assumption.
Regardless of how a project starts, consider how it reflects a difference between things as perceived and things desired.
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

12. So what’s the point? (cont’d)
A good tool, once you’ve begun in a particular way, is to play at “restarting” the project from each of the other beginnings.
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

13. So what’s the point? (cont’d)
The fundamental idea is to slow down the beginning, to see requirements and think about requirements – as the Zen priests say – with a “beginners mind” for as long as possible.
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 5

14. G&W Chapter 5: Starting Points Software Specification Lecture 12
Prepared by
Stephen M. Thebaut, Ph.D.
University of Florida