A design specification (or product design specification) is a document which details exactly what criteria a product or a process should comply with.[1] If the product or its design are being created on behalf of a customer, the specification should reflect the requirements of the customer or client.[2] A design specification could, for example, include required dimensions, environmental factors, ergonomic factors, aesthetic factors, maintenance requirement, etc. It may also give specific examples of how the design should be executed, helping others work properly (a guideline for what the person should do).
An example design specification, which may be a physical product, software, the construction of a building, or another type of output. Columns and information may be adjustable based on the output format.
Example design specification (with a product design focus)
Number
Category
Demand / want
Weighting number
Requirement
Success criteria
Method of assessment
Date modified
1
Aesthetics
Demand
2
Product must be blue
Product is blue
Visual analysis
03-21
2
Cost
Demand
1
Product costs less than £300
Product is less than £300
Component cost analysis
03-21
3
Function
Want
3
Product is collapsible
Product can reduce by at least 1/2 its size
Prototype testing
05-21
4
...
Special requirements
Construction design specifications are referenced in US government procurement rules, where there is a requirement that an architect-engineer should specify using "the maximum practicable amount of recovered materials consistent with the performance requirements, availability, price reasonableness, and cost-effectiveness" in a construction design specification.[3]
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