Project Life Cycle

Step 4: Functional System Design

Add flesh to the proposal and the client's requirements and you have a high-level functional design. It helps to include well-developed Use Case diagrams and high-level class diagrams and interaction diagrams as part of the deliverable.

If you don't know UML, learn it! The "classes" illustrated in the FSD don't necessarily reflect the actual classes that will be used to implement the system. For example, you might want to illustrate how a web-based system will work by representing the various web pages as classes in a UML Sequence diagram. Later, in the Technical System Design. you will generate diagrams that illustrate this same flow using the actual classes that you will design.

This step is also where you determine what tools will best get the job done, and what the "look-and-feel" of the system components will be. Next you may have the additional step of hiring talent for the project if you don't already have it on-hand.

Originator: The contractor, for approval by the client.

Deliverable: Functional System Design document. (template)

Components:

1. Review Business Requirements

2. UML Use Cases

3. High-level UML Class Diagrams

4. High-level UML Sequence Diagrams

5. Define Platforms

6. Define Languages

7. Revise Budget for later phases.

Step 5: Technical System Design

| Home | About Us | Clients | Project Management Resources | Tools & Templates | Links |