System Development without specifications
Is it possible to to develop a system without a specification? Ask any new programmer and the answer is yes, ask any seasoned programmer and they will scare you with the amount of time it takes to nail down a specification. So why the big discrepancy? Well, new programmers know anything is possible given time and money, the seasoned people know there is a limit to time and money AND there are consequences to not specifying system requirements properly. These consequences often lead to expensive legal battles where both parties lose tons of money.
So what is answer then? There is a middle ground - one where the end result is agreed upon by both parties, the milestones are agreed but the style and structure are only loosely defined. Sound like it's impossible, well it is the most effective way to develop systems from scratch.
Here at Intelligent Artefacts we do just that - we listen to customer needs and translate them (loosely) into programming specifications. Development work gets started rapidly and before long we have a working system with many challenges. These challenges are then ironed out as the client gets more familiar with the new system and their ever changing needs. Rapid development and prototyping helps the client to quickly understand what they really need and it gives the client the opportunity to change their minds without the costly rewrite of a detailed specification. Does this sound like something you need? Give us a call for a no-nonsense discussion about your development or system requirements.