Limited Ink
The answer to the classic (and classically heated) question, "how much specification is necessary?" is changing as we enter an age where the hard problems are rarely the technical ones...
The always-sensible Jeremy Miller drew my attention to this discussion today. He highlights this point, from Ron Jeffries:
I think "requirements" always means approximately "what we think, right now, that we need".
Limited Ink
To borrow a phrase from Nick, Gak!
This kind of talk actually changes the physical constants of the universe, significantly decreasing the inertial force of the agile development agenda adoption rate. You can just hear the seismic rumblings of indignation from space shuttle OS architects and the other remaining core demographics for the Big Design Upfront community.
If you catch it in just the right light though, on just the right time of day, you can see Ron's point: No requirements are final. Next year, or ten years from now, we're going to need a better boat. No doubt.
Under sub-optimal reading circumstances, on the other hand, this completely misses the point.
