Functional Specifications - a thing of the past?

In this fast paced world that we live in with the advent of development tools that are quick and easy, do we really have the need (or patience) for developing detailed functional specifications anymore?


This question has been swirling around my office lately. The business user creates a business requirement document (OK sometimes this is an email, but it lists requirements none the less) What happens next is a traditional IT process where a functional specification is created that contains the recommended solution to fulfilling the request. This in turn will get converted into a technical specification that would be passed on to a configurator/developer. This documentation process alone can take 2 - 3 days before all persons have signed off and no actual work towards the solution has occurred.



I have found it to be more efficient when I work with the configurator creating the solution based solely on user requirements. The users review what becomes a proof of concept in the development environment and sign off on the design at that point. There has been no true specification created to do this, just hands on collaboration and a real solution that is ready for testing has been created.


Yes, there needs to be a business requirement defined so you have an end point in mind, but in the world of configurable systems, the solution is created based on an iterative approach in the system, not on paper.


While you may still need specifications if you are operating in a development centric world, so that the programmer understands what the program should be doing. However in today's configurable world, my belief is that the functional specification should be retired.


In this world of increasing configurable systems, true development work rarely takes place and the traditional model of creating functional and technical specifications really does not add value to the process.


A good business requirement document is all that is needed to configure the applications of today.