Appendix A. Sample Project Template
Template
Note
We refer to our template as a Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). This does not reflect an all-encompassing SDLC. Many firms have more elaborate development processes and documentation. As with all recommendations in this book, this template should be used as a starting point that you should change to fit your needs.
Project Title
Software Development Life Cycle Project Template
Mission Statement
Software Development Life Cycle Summary
The intent of this document is to collect, define, and organize project details and requirements. The template is designed to be iterative, meaning that it will evolve over the life of the project.
The template includes the following key sections:
Project Details: These include the summary of the project. They’re designed to collect the following information:
Title: The title or codename of the project.
Description: A summary defining the objective of the project.
Stakeholders: Members who are involved with or have requested the project.
Impact Assessment: The observed or intended impact of the project deliverable: Who will be affected by this project? How many users? What business processes will be changed as a result of this project?
User Requirements: The requirements of the project, as specified by the user. The user requirements section includes a signature of agreement. As requirements evolve, many iterations of the user requirements sheet may be included.
Specifications Sheet (Functional Requirements): The technical details of the project, or the deliverables that will be developed and/or designed to meet the user requirements.
Data Models: Data Flow Diagrams and/or Data Structure Diagrams.
Data Processes: These are data processes or scripts that the project depends on. The list includes the process name; a description of where it’s located, what it does, etc.; and runtime/duration. This table will be updated throughout the life of the product.
Prototypes: Copies of low- or high-fidelity screenshots, mockups, models, etc.
Maintenance Notes: Additional notes that would be pertinent to the support of this product.
Project Details
Fill out the various details below to outline your project. If changes are made, use Strikethrough and provide a date when the change was made. Then you can append the revised title, description, etc.
IMPORTANT: Do not delete values, as they are the official record of development for the project!
Title
Title of the project or product
Description
Description of the project or product
Name(s) of Stakeholder(s)
Names of key stakeholders
Impact Assessment
A summary of the impact of the project/product
User Requirements
Fill out the various user requirements below. If changes are made, use Strikethrough and provide a date when the change was made. Then you can append the new or revised user requirement.
IMPORTANT: Do not delete user requirements, as they are the official record of development on the project!
User requirement | Description | Requestor name | |
1 | |||
2 | |||
3 | |||
4 | |||
5 |
I agree that these user requirements meet the needs of my request. If changes occur to the user requirements, I will notify the developer with a new request. I understand that making changes to these user requirements could institute a delay in the projected delivery time of the project.
Signature of Key Stakeholder Date
Specifications Sheet (Functional Requirements)
Fill out the various user requirements below. If changes are made, use Strikethrough and provide a date when the change was made. Then you can append the new or revised functional requirement.
IMPORTANT: Do not delete functional requirements, as they are the official record of development on the project!
Functional requirement | Description | Meets user req. # | |
1 | |||
2 | |||
3 | |||
4 | |||
5 |
I agree that these functional requirements meet the needs of my request. If changes occur to the functional requirements, I will notify the developer with a new request. I understand that making changes to these functional requirements could institute a delay in the projected delivery time of the project.
Signature of Key Stakeholder Date
Data and Workflow Models
Include diagrams showing data structure at a high level. The intent of this process is to document how the data is structured to support the project.
Data Processes
| Process name | Description | Runtime/frequency |
1 | ||
2 | ||
3 | ||
4 | ||
5 |
Prototypes
Include low- and/or high-fidelity prototypes. You can include early sketches or screenshots. The point of prototyping is that we give users an opportunity to review early conceptual models. It can be helpful to include even your earliest conceptual designs, so you can track the progression of your application.
Example Persona
Dan Welks
Status: Married, 1 child (2 years old)
Location: Austin, Texas
Occupation: Web Designer
Hobbies: Reading (mostly tech blogs), playing guitar, playing video games, and photography.
Favorite items: iPad, iPhone, vintage AM/FM radio, and the new SUV he and his wife just bought.
Needs: Dan has his iPad wherever he goes. He’d love a way to jot down notes or quickly sketch out a website design.
Currently, Dan will sketch ideas on printer paper or a dry-erase board. Sometimes, he’ll take a picture of his drawings with his iPad, but it doesn’t allow him to make changes later.
Dan wishes there was a way to keep all his notes and doodles in one place. He’s tried carrying around a notebook and pen, but it’s cumbersome while also carrying his iPad.
Beliefs: Dan has tried other drawing, sketching, and note-taking apps on his iPad. None of them has been very enjoyable. He does like Sketchbook Pro but finds the tools complex and daunting. He already has Photoshop, so if he wants to build something that detailed, he’ll just use that.
Dan believes that the best way to draw and take notes is with pen and paper. He thinks drawing with an iPad app lacks agility and feels very unnatural.
Sample Script for a Usability Study
Note
This is a script template for a usability study and is intended to help you get started. Obviously, the tasks and focus of your study will be determined by you. However, this template will give you an idea of the language and organization of a script. After the introduction, you can create a similar script for each task.
Essentially, each script should have the same tone and language of the introduction. The only difference is that it will have specific instructions of tasks you’ll be observing.
Introduction to Study
Thank you for agreeing to participate in the testing of name of app, an application that allows you to short description of the application.
Today, we’re going to be testing three main features of the application:
Feature
Feature
Feature
The study should take estimated time to complete.
The first task will require you to short description of first task. Next, you will be asked to short description of second task. Finally, I’ll observe you short description of third task.
Prior to each task, I will outline the specific goals of the task to you. Each task will begin when I say, “Begin task” and complete when I say, “End task.” I will not be able to answer specific questions during the task; however, I can clarify any instructions. Before we begin each task, I will ask you if you have any questions about the instructions.
Please narrate your thought process by thinking aloud. For instance, if you were going to appropriate action, you would say out loud, “I’m going to appropriate action.” This will help me understand what you’re trying to do and improve the effectiveness of this study.
Please remember that we are not testing you in this study. We are only testing the application’s ability to help you in completing your task. All notes, documentation, and comments will be completely anonymous.