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278 PART THREE CONVENTIONAL METHODS FOR SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

a chat room environment for review prior to the meeting. Ideally, each list entry should
be capable of being manipulated separately so that lists can be combined, entries can
be deleted and additions can be made. At this stage, critique and debate are strictly
Avoid the impulse to prohibited.
shoot down a After individual lists are presented in one topic area, a combined list is created by
customer’s idea as the group. The combined list eliminates redundant entries, adds any new ideas that
“too costly” or come up during the discussion, but does not delete anything. After combined lists for
“impractical.” The idea
here is to negotiate a all topic areas have been created, discussion—coordinated by the facilitator—ensues.
list that is acceptable The combined list is shortened, lengthened, or reworded to properly reflect the prod-
to all. To do this, you uct/system to be developed. The objective is to develop a consensus list in each topic
must keep an open area (objects, services, constraints, and performance). The lists are then set aside for
mind.
later action.
Once the consensus lists have been completed, the team is divided into smaller
subteams; each works to develop mini-specifications for one or more entries on each
of the lists. 4 Each mini-specification is an elaboration of the word or phrase con-
tained on a list. For example, the mini-specification for the SafeHome object control
panel might be
• mounted on wall
• size approximately 9 5 inches
• contains standard 12-key pad and special keys
• contains LCD display of the form shown in sketch [not presented here]
• all customer interaction occurs through keys

• used to enable and disable the system
• software provides interaction guidance, echoes, and the like
• connected to all sensors
Each subteam then presents each of its mini-specs to all FAST attendees for discus-
sion. Additions, deletions, and further elaboration are made. In some cases, the devel-
opment of mini-specs will uncover new objects, services, constraints, or performance
requirements that will be added to the original lists. During all discussions, the team
may raise an issue that cannot be resolved during the meeting. An issues list is main-
tained so that these ideas will be acted on later.
After the mini-specs are completed, each FAST attendee makes a list of validation
criteria for the product/system and presents his or her list to the team. A consensus
list of validation criteria is then created. Finally, one or more participants (or out-
“The beginning is the
most important part siders) is assigned the task of writing the complete draft specification using all inputs
of the work.” from the FAST meeting.
Plato

4 An alternative approach results in the creation of use-cases. See Section 11.2.4 for details.