The role of graphical representations in early design and requirements specification

This report describes some initial investigations into the role of diagrams in early system design and specification. This early design and specification work is of critical importance to the success of the final product yet it is fraught with difficulty. Decisions made in the design stage have far reaching, and sometimes devastating, effects on subsequent development work. Adopting a user-centred approach to system development adds a further layer of complexity which must, in turn, be addressed. There is considerable experience at the University of Hertfordshire of developing novel human-computer systems through user-centred design. This experience provides a strong focus for our interests in enhancing the quality of the development process by integrating formal methods with the less formal techniques currently used.