Re: What to use when 2167A is too much

[mcriley@BIX.com (mcriley on BIX)]

coyl0022@gold.tc.umn.edu (Michael Coyle ) writes:

>	I have seen references to Yourdon, Smith, Marko, Freeman,
>MIL-STD-SDD and DOD-STD-2167A.  All I need is somewhere to start,
>or a simple subset of 2167A.  I am working on the design and
>coding of an app, and since grad students come and go, I want
>others later on to have sufficient documentaion (i.e. more that
>in line comments!) of the program.  I also want some help in
>requirements, specs, testing strategies etc., but there is no way
>I can get through 2167A in time, and I don't need something
>that huge.  Since I am customer, coder, maintainer, tester,
>designer and documenter, and I have little experience in some of
>the above areas, I just need some help to guide me through those
>areas where I don't know any good techniques, and some
>suggestions to improve what I am already doing.
>--
>////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
>Michael Coyle                              coyl0022@gold.tc.umn.edu 

For the level of documentation you're requiring I would suggest a paper
by Dave Parnas titled "A Rational Design Process:  How and Why to
Fake It."  Seriously!  That paper distills everything I've come across
regarding requirements, design, implementation, maintenance, and
life cycle issues into an understandable and manageable process.

I don't have the publishing info, but it was reprinted in "Software
State of the Art:  Selected Papers", editing by DeMarco & Lister,
published by Dorset House.  I'd give you the ISBN, except the book
is at work.  Anyhow, I highly recommend it.

Marc A. Criley
Sr. Systems Engineer
CAE-Link Fligh\x7ft Simulation