Project Name

Technical Specification

Name Signature
Author

Date of Submission

Reviewer 1

Date of Review 1

Reviewer 2 (if applicable)

Date of Review 2 (if applicable)

Approved by

Date of Approval

Technical Specification Template & Guide

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Change History

Version No. Revision No. Description Approval Date

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 Table of Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... ..5
Determine System Design Strategy................................................................................. ......5
Develop Conversion Specifications.............................................................. .........................5
Develop Program Specifications........................................................................................ ....6
Develop Physical Database Design................................................................................. ......6
Develop File / Report Format............................................................................................... ..7
Determine Backup, Recovery and Fallback Design..................................................... ..........7

Technical Specification Template & Guide

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Documents and Reference Materials
(State reference documents and materials here)

Terminology and Convention

(State the Terminology and Convention here)

Mandatory
Sections 1, 2, 4, 7, as well as sections 5 and/or 6 are mandatory. The mandatory sections are not
applicable to Technical Specifications prepared by external parties in outsourced project, or by internal
staff to meet external customer’s requirements, but it will serve as a reference guide.

Enter project name: Select ‘Project Name’ and press SHIFT+[F9]. Replace ‘Project Name’, in
between the double quotes, with the project name and then press [F9] to update.

Update version number in footer: Select the version number on the right side of the footer and press
[F9] to update.

This section serves as an instruction to the author and should not be included in the Technical
Specification.

Technical Specification Template & Guide

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Introduction

Determine System Design Strategy

• Document the System Design Strategy in this section. (System Design Strategy is mainly
concerned with the high-level decisions about how the programs and files would be
constructed.)

• List the programs (existing and new) against the system functions defined in the
Preliminary Design Specification stage. List also the files and databases used. Highlight
interface files or programs which are from other system.

• Describe in detail the flow of programs, screens, reports and files and how they interface
with each other to form the new system. From the technical design viewpoint, highlight
the order (if any) in which programs, screens, reports and files would need to be
constructed.

• Batch flow diagrams, system structure chart, screen hierarchy diagram or physical data
flow diagram or a combination of flowcharting and diagramming techniques could be
used.

If conversion of an old system’s data / software to the new proposed system’s data format /
software is required, proceed to step 2, otherwise proceed to Step 3.

Develop Conversion Specifications

• Confirm the scope of conversion by listing the data elements and programs if any) to be
converted. Specify also the cut-off date and the estimated total number of records to be
converted.

• Define the conversion approach. Consider the following:

a. Conversion Files: Specify the file type and layout for input and output files used in
conversion.

b. Data Preparation: List the activities required to prepared the input data before loading
into the new system.

c. Data Entry / Loading: Describe the method used to enter conversion input data into
the new system and the reason for selecting the method.

d. Data Verification / Correction: List the verification criteria and control points for
checking and correcting data entered or loaded.

• Specify the person(s) responsible for the conversion activities (e.g. data collection, data
loading, verification, error correction etc.) outlined in the conversion approach.

• State the manpower, software package and hardware required for the conversion.
Highlight if acquisition needs to be done and the cost involved.

Technical Specification Template & Guide

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Develop Program Specifications
• Determine the following program attributes:
- Project name
- System / subsystem name
- Program ID
- Program title
- Program version number
- Programming language used
- Program execution mode (e.g. online, batch, real time etc.)
- Author

• Provide a description of the program

- Highlight the main functions and results of the program. (Note: Program logic should
not be described here; they should be explored during the “Development” stage).
- Provide information of database and non-database files used by the program (e.g. file
name, description, data elements, sorting sequence etc.)
- Provide information on the screen layout, field attributes and mapping of screen fields
to database fields / program variables / derived values.
- Provide information on the reports produced by the program. Include report layout
with information such as report identification, title, headings, field positioning.

• Other considerations to take note when developing the program specification

- Limitations of software used
- Optimal access path to files / resources
- Handling of system error
- Interface with other programs
- Standardization of common messages
- Use of design of reusable subroutines.
- Program specification should meet existing programming standards and the
requirements of the Functional Specifications.

Develop Physical Database Design

• Define the data structure
a. Logical and/or Physical Schema Design
- Prepare a graphical presentation showing how the entities of logical data model is
transformed into database files (physical schema). That is from the normalized
logical data model (3rd normal form), develop a first-cut physical database design.
- The type of file structure should be clearly demonstrated.

b. Consider combining multiple files into 1 physical file (especially for files with low
record, low processing volume, or which use the same key and are always assessed
together)

c. Consider splitting 1 entity into many files if the entity consists of too many fields which
can be logically grouped together and the frequency of concurrent group access is
low (Vertical Partitioning), or if the record volume is too high and the records can be
grouped according to the value of some fields and the frequency of concurrent group
access is low (Horizontal Partitioning).

d. Search keys used

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 - Define the simple or concatenated keys that are used for the search or sorting
criteria.

• Describe the database access technique

- Briefly describe the access method – e.g. use of pointer to access the record; use of
ODBC bridge to connect to the database etc.

• Define the data dictionary

- Include the file name / description, field definition and the views used.

• Determine the database capacity

- Estimate the volume and growth rate of each database file based on the transaction
volume

• Determine the data retention period (e.g. all financial related data must be kept for a
minimum of 7 years before they can be destroyed).

Develop File / Report Format

• For non-DBMS file, include the description of the following items:
- File name, description, purpose and source of the file
- Record sample layout including name, description, length, format, and position of the
fields
- File size
- Retention period for the file / records.

• For report, include the description of the following items:

- Report name, description, purpose, and the name of the program / script that is
generating the report.
- Report sample layout including name, description, length, format and position of the
fields.
- Timing of reports: the time in which the report is expected to be generated (e.g.
settlement reports must be generated at 0300hrs daily)
- Mode of Reports Delivery (electronically via email, ftp, web-based application;
manually via courier etc.)

Determine Backup, Recovery and Fallback Design

• Document the Backup, Recovery and Fallback Design in this section (organized into 3
sub sections – Backup, Recovery and Fallback).

• If normal site procedures are to be used, it is sufficient to make reference to the site
backup, recovery and fallback document for details.

• If special software or procedures need to be developed for the system, provide the
software design specifications and procedures in this document.

• Consider whether the backup, recovery and fallback specifications need to be

implemented at the:
- System, Sub system or function level
- Files, database level
- Program level
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 - Data Conversion level

• For data backup, consider:

- What data to backup
- Frequency of backup
- Media to backup to (e.g. tape, CD-ROM)
- How to verify backup (i.e. ensure backup tapes contain valid data)
- Retention period for backup data

• For Recovery and Fallback, consider:

- Whether plan fits in with organization wide DRP (Disaster Recovery Plan)
- Roles and responsibilities of staff involved in the recovery and fallback plans
- Hot, warm and cold standby concepts

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