Cost effective AM/FM/GIS CAD conversions,on time
Developing a thorough specification
Once the business and technical goals for the conversion project are established,and once the technical considerations
involved with achieving those goals have been thoroughly analyzed,a specification which defines the requirements for
the project can be developed. This document becomes the detining document for the strwhmd processutilized to
completethe job. The specificationshould defineall of the parametersand establishmeasurementcriteria. The
developmentof the specificationshouldbe accomplishedby a team which consists of individualswho havethe technical
and/or businessbackgroundsto insure that all of the goals and technical issues are taken into considerationand
adequatelycoveredby the specification. This is a task which shouldbe adequatelybudgetedin terms of time, personnel
and dollars. Dependingon the amount of detail, the scopeof the job and the amount of technical sophistication
required,this task could take anywhereffom severaldays,to a fewweeks,to two or more months. The time invested
will be wellworth it becausethe successof this processwill makethe differencein attaining the goals that havebeen
established. A sampleoutline for such a specification,with a fw of the possiblesubheadings,follows:
Sample Outline for a ConversionProiect Mecification
- Introduction
- BackgroundInformation
- Basic Descriptionof Business/Work
- Scope of Work
- ConversionMethodology
- Methodology Description
- Software Requirements
- Existing Data Type
- Target CAE/CAD System
- Description of System
- Expertise/Training Required
- MeasurementUnits & Coordinate System
- Tolerance Requirements
- Conventions
- Naming
- Layering
- Color
- Speciiic
- Etc.
- Standards
- Scale
- Syrnbdogy
- Dimensions
- Text
- Drafting/Design(MIL, 1S0, etc. Specs)
- Etc.
- IntegratedData BaseRequirements
- Structure
- Sources/Input
- Verification
- Schedule Requirements
- Conversion Guidelines
- Scrubbing Requirements
- Set Up and Review
- Delivery Format
- Quality Plan (See Sectionof this Paper, “Developing a ThoroughQualityPlan”)
- DocumentTracking & Reports
Attachments (Including MIL or 1S0 Specs, Symbology, Software Listings, Menus, etc.)
The aboveoutline is a sample. There are manyother headings, subheadings,and categoriespossible.The key is to
establisha specificationthat reflectsin full the businessand technical goals of the project,the technical considerations
requiredto obtain those goals, and all of the standards,conventions,timeframes and methodologiesthat are required.
In addition, the definitionof the qualilyplan and the measurementcriteria is critical. This establishesthe standardby
whichthe completedwork is m- and through which any reworkrequirementsare determined.
