A design specification (or product design specification) is a document which details exactly what criteria a product or a process should comply with. If the product or its design are being created on behalf of a
customer
In sales, commerce, and economics, a customer (sometimes known as a Client (business), client, buyer, or purchaser) is the recipient of a Good (economics), good, service (economics), service, product (business), product, or an Intellectual prop ...
, the specification should reflect the requirements of the customer or client. A design specification could, for example, include required
dimensions, environmental factors,
ergonomic factors,
aesthetic
Aesthetics (also spelled esthetics) is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of beauty and taste, which in a broad sense incorporates the philosophy of art.Slater, B. H.Aesthetics ''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy,'' , acces ...
factors, maintenance requirement, etc. It may also give specific examples of how the design should be executed, helping others work properly (a guideline for what the person should do).
Example of a design specification
An example design specification, which may be a
physical product,
software
Software consists of computer programs that instruct the Execution (computing), execution of a computer. Software also includes design documents and specifications.
The history of software is closely tied to the development of digital comput ...
, the
construction of a building, or another type of output. Columns and information may be adjustable based on the output format.
Special requirements
Construction design specifications are referenced in
US government procurement rules, where there is a requirement that an
architect-engineer should specify using "the maximum practicable amount of
recovered materials consistent with the performance requirements, availability, price reasonableness, and cost-effectiveness" in a construction design specification.
[US ]General Services Administration
The General Services Administration (GSA) is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. G ...
Federal Acquisition Regulation: 36.601: Applicable contracting procedures
updated 22 January 2024, accessed 23 January 2024
See also
*
Data sheet (Spec sheet)
*
Design by contract
Design by contract (DbC), also known as contract programming, programming by contract and design-by-contract programming, is an approach for designing software.
It prescribes that software designers should define formal, precise and verifiable ...
*
Software requirements specification
A software requirements specification (SRS) is a description of a software system to be developed. It is modeled after the business requirements specification (CONOPS). The software requirements specification lays out functional and non-fun ...
*
Specification
A specification often refers to a set of documented requirements to be satisfied by a material, design, product, or service. A specification is often a type of technical standard.
There are different types of technical or engineering specificati ...
References
Other sources
*Mohan, S., Dr. "Design Specifications", Dr. S. Mohan. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Dec. 2015.
*"What Are Specifications?" Specificationsdenver. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Dec. 2015.
Product development
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