- Let's Review that Process...
- Meet Neil & Gordon...
- Task List
- The Development Process
- ...One More Time
- System Design
- Agile Waterfalls
- Use Cases
- What If...?
- UML State Diagrams
- An Example
- Specification Components
- User Requirements
- ...One More Time
- Creating executables
- Compiled or Interpreted?
- Just-in-Time...
Specification Components
You’ve seen two of the things that specifications commonly contain: use cases and UML state diagrams. Are you wondering what else might be in there? Here are some possibilities...
Class Diagrams
A UML Class Diagram models the classes in the system. A CLASS is a programming construct that represents the characteristics of something in its attributes (the things it knows) and methods (the things it can do). We’ll talk about classes a lot beginning in Chapter 9.
Database Schemas
If the application is going to store data in a relational database, the specification will often include a schema diagram that describes the database structure. We won’t be discussing them in this book.
Screen Layouts
Some designers include screen layouts as part of the specification. (I’m one of them.) The layouts might be just rough sketches, or they could be complete graphics, depending on how complex the interface is and how important the “look and feel” are to the client.