Rules to Better Specification Reviews

Spec Reviews are the first step to engaging properly with a client and need to be executed well. The following rules will ensure you know how, and how much, to spec out upfront.

Many teams start their implementation before dedicating time to understanding the primary purpose and functionality of the software. In some agile-leaning environments, the often simplistic user story is considered essential, contrasting with the detailing of all software functionality, which is viewed as "too waterfall." Garnering multiple perspectives from different stakeholders (both business and technical) during Spec Reviews is crucial for accurately capturing the intended function and behavior of the software.

Despite meticulous reviews, some aspects remain overlooked. The unknown 'unknowns' inevitably come to light as the work advances, making the estimation of knowledge work like software development (along with its testing phase) challenging. Risk emerges from the overlooked or unanticipated factors, even after thorough consideration. It's crucial to acknowledge that new insights will continually arise as we navigate through the development and testing phases—irrespective of the upfront thoroughness.

Tools like journey maps are a useful input into both development and testing, providing fertile ground for coming up with test ideas and identifying areas of risk to influence test coverage.

Having senior testers involved in this step can be valuable as they bring different skills and perspectives to the review, especially as they’re generally one of the few people in the team with a focus on what might go wrong (via a critical thinking mindset), rather than focusing on success (typical of the builder’s mindset).