Your workplace or instructor may provide you with a template that shows you how to write your title. Always follow the template if one is available.
If your template is different, format your date according to the template. It’s important to include dates so you can tell which tech spec is the most recent one.
A tech spec always needs to have one author, even if you’re working with a team. The author is the person who actually types up the spec.
In addition to giving your team members credit, this helps people understand who they can go to if they have questions about the tech spec. If you worked alone on this project, skip this step.
You might write, “The current system for planning transit trips across the county leaves riders stranded and lowers ridership on certain routes. Two of the bus systems allow riders to plan their trip online, but the third uses paper maps and phone contact. This solution is lowering ridership and causing under funding, see Spring 2019 survey results. We want to move all 3 transit lines onto 1 planning system that users can access online. This will allow them to plan their trips more easily and see when the buses will be at each stop. Additionally, riders can report issues immediately using a ‘contact us’ function. ”
If you outline your goals in the overview section, you don’t typically need this section. However, you may be required to include this section if your workplace requires it. Write something like, “The new system will include: 1) A route planning tool; 2) A bus locator function; 3) A way for riders to report problems. ”
For instance, “1) Route planner ensures riders aren’t stranded and buses aren’t underutilized; 2) Contact box allows transit planners to directly respond to rider issues. ”
You might write, “1) This system won’t add new bus routes; 2) We will not install computers at bus stops or on buses, so riders will need to use their own devices; 3) Transit planners will not guarantee immediate solutions to rider problems; and 4) This service will not include door-to-door pickups. ”
Write, “1) How will we manage system updates? 2) Will we change the route maps if we find a problem? 3) Can the system serve a multilingual ridership without translation errors? 4) How will we best serve riders who aren’t tech savvy?”
If you describe different approaches or technologies, create a subsection for each one so that your plan is easy to follow. Write something like, “We will work with the transit planning team to design software that allows riders to input their destinations into an app that will generate a route for them. Riders can then alter the route if they desire. The system will send text updates to riders to help them find their routes. We are going to have the riders on a stakeholder committee test the software before we release it to the public. If the plan has errors, we will make site updates during hours when the buses are offline. Additionally, we will have an extra shuttle bus available to pick up passengers that are stranded because of the system. ”
You might write, “We considered color-coded maps because it’s a cheaper option, but riders didn’t respond well to the existing maps and the test group got confused. ”
Include the specific analytical processes or technologies you’ll use. Say something like, “We will compare projected route times to actual route times to make sure buses are on schedule. Additionally, we will conduct a rider survey to evaluate their satisfaction and identify problems with the system. ”
There are always risks or concerns, so don’t put “there are no risks” in this section. You might write, “Users will enter their location and their home addresses. Additionally, they’ll have the option to create a profile and save trips. To protect this data, we’ll include encryption and a firewall. ”
For instance, your task breakdown might list “Engineering Team,” “Planning Team,” “Marketing,” and “Quality Assurance. ” Your bullet list for the engineering team might include tasks like, “1) Write website upgrade; 2) Write trip planning app; 3) Write contact system. ”
Your workplace or instructor may give you different formatting instructions. If so, follow these instructions.
For instance, say, “We will update the specifications as needed” rather than “The specifications will be updated as needed. " Similarly, write “The engineering team will write a website” or “Amy will draft a marketing plan. "
For instance, you could revise “We will write a website that allows riders to plan their desired trip and keep track of the bus” to “This website allows trip planning and bus tracking. "
Don’t show your tech spec to someone who doesn’t understand your field. They’ll likely get confused and may recommend changes that aren’t necessary.
You’ll likely need to update your tech spec as your project or product progresses. This is a temporary document, so don’t let it prevent you from doing your actual work.
For example, look for errors like “the current system is efficient” rather than “the current system is inefficient. ”
