Terms of reference for the Internet

Project management

A terms of reference in project and qua lit management is a created by the customer, roughly defined primitive of the planned project, which includes the definition of a product or a service and all the claims on the scope of the contractor.

The term "Terms of reference", which can be referred to as requirements, customer specifications, or product sketch, is common especially in media design and software development.

The terms of reference is created by the customer either in cooperation with only a contractor, or but sent out a tender to several potential contractor. Create possible contractor based of this request catalog in turn a specification, which is more specifically described, what and how the desired services are provided. The contractor may then from the proposals by the for his project to the most appropriate customer choose and grant the order.

The requirements in the specifications should be kept rather general and must be neither detailed nor complete, they must contain only all for the future contractor important basic information and requirements - in contrast to the specification that has to be more concrete and more precisely formulated.

A specification aims to restrict the potential contractor in his creativity and competence in the development of solutions for the realization of the project as little as possible, but nevertheless accurately and clearly to give him any ideas, wishes and requirements.

The terms of reference is formulated mostly in the context of a contract or a plant supply contract was made and formally declined by one or more contractors, ideally including written confirmation of receipt. Communication between principal and agent use of specifications, however, is neither legally nor otherwise somehow binding rules

A terms of reference should be designed as possible clearly to avoid misunderstandings or ambiguities: terse but accurate descriptions, usually in tabular form, in case of need for better clarity with pictures, or illustrations added.

Even if the specification is written by the customer and its paradigm precedence, it can come to communicative problems if the customer has no idea of, as the desired performance target could be achieved. It is therefore important that the specification is written so, that the contractor is the wording read out the basic requirements and can govern on it so that the customer feels understood and considered his wishes as fulfilled - even if that corresponds to "How" not his own. It is therefore necessary that the everyday language of laymen on the expertise of professionals, and vice verse, is matched. One used often formalisierende approaches in drawing up of specifications such as modeling languages, for example, enables a specification for all involved is easier. Preferably be elected representations in chart form, which occurs in a previously defined syntax, described on a meta model with their own grammar.

Another way to minimize misunderstandings is to use of certain service providers, specialising in the creation of specifications. Especially for large projects with an increased need for coordination between customer and contractor you accesses like professionals to prepare the request catalog, which is at the same time then also responsible for the writing of requirements specification.

The form of specifications is to make always product- and service-specific, but it follows a rough "scheme F", which should include the most important points and answer the most important questions.

Following the structural design of specifications that is to create a new Web portal in this way concerning, for example:

1. Initial situation

How has it come to the project idea to call a new Web portal in the life?

What project-based knowledge can have the employer?

How many people are involved in the implementation of the project?

What problems occur specifically in the implementation of the project?

We tried already to solve the problems? If Yes: how and by what means?

Why is action?

There are several projects of its kind in which the current should be included?

2. The objective of

What specifically should have been created at the end of the project?

What exactly is counted as a success in the implementation of the project?

Who determines whether the solution by the contractor is managed?

What is considered to be standard rated the performance of the contractor?

What is available to be able to implement the solution? Which dates are to be followed?

3. The product application

Within which framework is the product used eventually?

Who will the product be served? What user skills may be assumed?

What features should the product have 4. functional requirements? What must afford the product? What demands are made on the finished project? To what extent should into consideration be taken on the capabilities of end users (in this case, the users of the new Web Portal)?

5. The non-functional requirements

Is it planned to expand the product at some point?

Changes should be possible at any time if so, in which direction? To can the changes themselves be made? Which requirements are there to usability? How often should maintenance be made?

6. The scope of delivery

What exactly to be delivered when, to what extent? How will the product be delivered? There are other suppliers, if so, which and what they deliver? Must the partial deliveries be compatible, if yes, how are the deals? What is explicitly excluded from the scope of delivery?

7. What phase to the implementation of the project go through the phases of the implementation? Which dates are to meet on the way there in detail? How and to what extent are the agreements in between?

8. Any open points what needs still clarify? Who cares about the clarification and this has to be made until when? How, when and by whom are the decisions made? When and by whom changes in the specifications perform?

A specification is created at the swift possible time, so at least at an early stage of the project. In the ideal case, you customize it even before the project. Every now and then it is necessary that the terms of reference in the course of the implementation of the project changed or is adapted to the circumstances, sometimes even several times, for example, if findings, which were not yet known, as formulated the terms of reference.

The responsibility for the creation of specifications is alone with the contracting entity. Should these not also be the head of the project, it makes sense to consult these employees or to transfer him the formulation of specifications fully.

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