If you are a software developer, you probably dislike the process of documenting design requirements. You would much rather dive straight into the code and get the job done. However, approaching software development this way often leads to disastrous results.
It is important that the entire team is on board with what needs to be built and how. Being in congruence with design requirements is also crucial while working with a client. It ensures that both parties agree on the deliverables so that there’s no confusion at the time of the handover.
Therefore, even though it can feel like a chore sometimes, documenting design requirements and creating software design documents is a must for every software developer.
Before we introduce you to our awesome software design documentation template, let’s take a quick look at what are the things one needs to include in these documents.
What You Should Include in Your Software Design Document?
A typical software requirements document should involve the following details:
Title: Add the title of the Software Design Document
Introduction: Provide an overview of the entire document
System Overview: Provide a general description and functionality of the software system.
Design Considerations: Describe the issues that need to be addressed before creating a design solution:
- Assumptions and Dependencies: Describe any assumptions that may be wrong or any dependencies on other things.
- General Constraints: Describe any constraints that could have an impact on the design of the software.
- Goals and Guidelines: Describe any goals and guidelines for the design of the software.
- Development Methods: Describe the software design method that will be used.
Architectural Strategies: Describe the strategies that will be used that will affect the system.
System Architecture: This section should provide a high-level overview of how the functionality and responsibilities of the system were partitioned and then assigned to subsystems or components.
Policies and Tactics: Describe any design policies and/or tactics that do not have sweeping architectural implications (meaning they would not significantly affect the overall organization of the system and its high-level structures).
Detailed System Design: Most components described in the System Architecture section will require a more detailed discussion. Other lower-level components and subcomponents may need to be described as well.
Glossary: An ordered list of defined terms and concepts used throughout the document.
Now that you know the elements of a software design document, it’s time to put that information to test by using a beautiful template by Bit.ai
Software Design Documentation Template
To make the process of creating your software design document easier, we have created a ready-made software design document template for you!
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