6.4. Design Outputs

The area of risk management needs to be considered before we look at the outputs themselves. The design process, like any other, has risks associated with it and these need to be considered.

Before we examine the design output; the design process is primarily a communications process - you listen to all the points of view and translate those into design documentation and diagrams which you then communicate back to the stakeholders. This cyclic process also impacts on the other spinning plates by modifying the perspectives of all parties in the process.

The key potential failing in any project is a lack of communication. This is one of the hardest things to get right. It does not inspire developers and may be seen as a distraction by others - away from the real work. For your project to be a success you must ensure there is a well defined and clear communications output from every process.

In the design process communications and synthesis are the two key processes. You need to ensure after an iteration of the design, that all parties get updated designs or that updates are available on the project website with emails having been sent out to notify people. You may have to hold meetings to show the design evolution, the level of effort will have to be balanced with all the other layers.

With that in mind let us consider the design process outputs in turn. We stress the process as this is not just the design plans themselves but also the outputs to the other layers. The key outputs from the design process are the designs and the communication of those perspectives. In Zachman's paper it is clear that there is never one design.

The design itself must communicate with a number of different audiences in their languages and the same thing will be described a number of different ways and times.

The major threads of the design process can be split into three broad categories and we will look at each to see the kinds of deliverables you might need, depending on the nature of the project and the skills of the development team.

6.4.1. Technical

The technical outputs of the design process are those that are going to be used as the goal for software development and integration. These will cover:

• Domain models

• Service interface definitions, data models and XML schemas for web service developers and system integrators

• XML schemas and data models for database developers/administrators

• UML structure, sequence and state models for application and component developers

• Dataflow diagrams for analysts

• Network Architecture diagrams for network administrators

• Systems Architecture diagrams for Operations staff

• User interface designs (wireframes, blueprints, labeling schemes, taxonomies...) for media designers and interface developers

The technical outputs can be related to the layers of MLE technical architecture:

6.4.2. Organisational

The design process will move the organisation of both the project and the institution forward. There are two key outputs, the first of which is a soft output concerning the interaction of the project with the wider community which inevitably creates and stimulates change , and this can be very important to long term strategy. The second set of outputs is aimed at the broader management of the institute. The key document here is the overall Information Architecture which provides a schematic of the flow of information and the roles of the major components. This is often used for presentations to senior management. Sarah Holyfield's paper on diagramming provides very good samples of the kind of diagrams which may help.

6.4.3. User

As you design the MLE, you are fundamentally changing both the user expectation and the user's requirements. The first chapter of Alger and Goldstein clearly defines the reality of this aspect of software development. The user is likely to be interested in the ease of use and functionality and here the user interface designs and the top-level Information Architecture are likely to be the key documents. Since the user is evolving their perspective as they work with the project it is important to iterate designs, prototypes and mock-ups with them as the project progresses.

6.4.4. Conclusion

The process of design is iterative and multifaceted and in it lies the seeds of both triumph and disaster. The design must deliver the functionality required, and inspire and support the project. The design process opens many areas where there is a divergence of opinion and the design process must moderate these while keeping an eye on the prize.

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