An example of a technical specification for services. What to include in the technical specifications

When developing any project. How is this document prepared? This will be discussed in the article.

Technical specification - what is it?

Before starting to develop a project, a plan must first be drawn up. Construction, entrepreneurship, housing work - absolutely any labor sector requires the development of an appropriate plan. In this case, it does not matter how complex or serious this or that work is. The development of technical specifications, and, in fact, an ordinary action plan, is a key stage here.

The terms of reference are needed by both sides of the work process: the contractor and the customer. Often, quarrels, conflicts and misunderstandings arise between these two individuals. A well-drafted action plan will help strictly regulate all obligations of each party.

Why does the customer need technical specifications?

As already mentioned, the development of technical specifications is a necessary process that is useful for both parties to the employment contract. However, now it’s worth talking about why the presented document is needed by the direct customer.

The most important thing to note is the fact that the technical specifications are developed only by the customer. This is a kind of action plan, an agreement on the provision of services. With the help of this document, performers can clearly define their job functions, as well as what exactly is required of them. The document in question should always be developed with the highest quality and care. Thus, the customer must take into account all the main theses and points, and also avoid contradictory issues. If the document is drawn up correctly, the customer will always be able to point the dissatisfied contractor to a certain clause of the contract.

Why does the contractor need technical specifications?

The contractor receives samples of technical specifications before starting any work. The worker must carefully read all the points in the document. This step will help avoid manipulation by the customer. Thus, many bosses may demand something from employees that was not discussed in the terms of reference.

The contractor must clarify all the necessary points and the amount of payment. So, it is worth making sure that cash payments relate only to those points that are specified in the document. Otherwise, inattentive performers can work for free.

Thus, the performer should pay attention to samples of technical specifications as often as possible. This will help him avoid unnecessary problems and misunderstandings.

Starting to compile a document

Where should I start filling out the document? The terms of reference for the work should always begin with general provisions and goals. What is included in the general provisions? First, a small glossary. Of course, this is not a prerequisite. However, if the document is narrowly focused and therefore replete with specific terminology, then it is still worth attaching a small dictionary. In any case, this will be another step towards mutual understanding between the customer and the contractor. Secondly, the general provisions must contain information about the parties to the contract.

What are the objectives of the terms of reference? It's probably not hard to guess. So, it is necessary to briefly outline what kind of project is being developed, why it is needed and how the final result can be achieved. All tasks and goals should be described in as much detail and clarity as possible. This approach will help establish mutual understanding between the parties to the contract.

Requirements and deadlines

Without fail, any technical specification for the execution of work must contain certain requirements, as well as clearly established deadlines. Everything is relatively clear with the timing. Although it is worth noting that it is better to take time with some reserve. In addition, the speed of order execution should not affect the quality. If the contractor violates the established deadlines, the contract must contain certain sanctions for this case.

What can you tell us about the requirements? The customer must remember that all requirements are divided into two main types: special and functional. Functional requirements are to some extent visual and figurative. These are certain images, elements, sketches of what the customer would like to see. Special requirements are strictly regulated, indicating specific tasks and methods of execution. Naturally, special ones should significantly predominate. Otherwise, the performer may simply not fully understand what exactly they want from him.

Responsibility and reporting

It’s worth talking about two more important elements that absolutely any sample technical specifications should contain in a little more detail. We are talking about the responsibility of the parties and about accountability. What does each of these elements represent?

It is advisable to generate reporting in stages, especially if the terms of reference are large. As soon as a certain stage of work has been completed, reporting can be submitted (required). In addition, such a system allows you to keep the performer in good shape. Otherwise, he can do everything at the last moment, and therefore, of extremely poor quality.

What can be said about the liability of the parties? It is immediately worth noting that such a clause is not mandatory. However, many customers still find it necessary to regulate the main types of fines, penalties and sanctions for various violations. It is advisable to indicate the main elements of responsibility in documents such as technical specifications for procurement, transportation, etc.

Drawing up technical specifications

Any technical assignment (for supply, construction, transportation, etc.) must be drawn up very competently and efficiently. This is necessary, firstly, to ensure that future litigation, disputes and conflicts do not arise due to misunderstandings between the parties. And secondly, for simple convenience. Not every customer is able to competently draw up technical specifications. Often lawyers are hired for this matter, although there is little point in doing so.

You just have to remember a few simple rules:

• the contract must be detailed and detailed (however, there is no need to exaggerate; it is unlikely that at least one contractor will want to read multi-volume comments on the requirements);
• the contract must be clear, without confusion and unnecessary information;
• the task should not be some kind of dogma; It is worth remembering that this is only an indication, albeit a strictly regulated one - be it a technical task for maintenance or for planting trees.

All the advice that was given above is only a small part of what could be talked about. However, you can still give customers a couple of guidelines. Thus, the terms of reference (for maintenance or construction) can be built according to a template. It is not necessary to take this template from somewhere; So, if writing a contract for the provision of services is a fairly common task, then creating a couple of cliches for yourself will not be so difficult.

It is worth recalling how important it is to check the standards: be it GOST, regulatory or legal acts, local acts, etc.

Recently they approached me to advise me on standards for writing technical specifications (TOR) for the development of automated systems (AS) and software (SW). I’m thinking, now I’ll go to Yandex, find a suitable article and send it. But it was not there! I did not find one article that lists standards for technical specifications, including templates and examples of ready-made documents. I'll have to make this article myself...

And so, the main standards, methodologies and bodies of knowledge that mention TK or SRS (Software (or System) Requirements Specification):

GOST 34
GOST 19
IEEE STD 830-1998
ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148-2011
RUP
SWEBOK, BABOK, etc.

GOST 34

GOST 34.602-89 The terms of reference for the creation of an automated system regulates the structure of the technical specifications for the creation of a SYSTEM, which includes software, hardware, people who work with the software, and automated processes.

According to GOST 34, the technical specification must include the following sections:

1. General information
2. Purpose and goals of creation (development) of the system
3. Characteristics of automation objects
4. System requirements
5. Composition and content of work to create the system
6. Procedure for control and acceptance of the system
7. Requirements for the composition and content of work to prepare the automation object for commissioning of the system
8. Documentation requirements
9. Development sources

When developing technical specifications for government projects, Customers, as a rule, require compliance with this particular standard.

GOST 19

“GOST 19.xxx Unified System of Program Documentation (USPD)” is a set of state standards that establish interconnected rules for the development, design and circulation of programs (or software) and program documentation. Those. This standard applies specifically to software development.
According to GOST 19.201-78 Technical specifications, requirements for content and design, the technical specifications must include the following sections:

1. Introduction;
2. Reasons for development;
3. Purpose of development;
4. Requirements for the program or software product;
5. Requirements for program documentation;
6. Technical and economic indicators;
7. Stages and stages of development;
8. Procedure for control and acceptance;
9. Applications.

Naturally, GOST 34 (and 19) are already outdated, and I don’t like to use them, but with the correct interpretation of the standards, you can get good technical specifications, see Conclusion.

IEEE STD 830-1998

A fairly good definition of standard 830-1998 - IEEE Recommended Practice for Software Requirements Specifications is given in its very description:

Describes the content and quality characteristics of a well-written software requirements specification (SRS) and provides several SRS templates. This recommended practice is intended to establish requirements for software under development, but can also be used to assist in the selection of proprietary and commercial software products.

According to the standard, the terms of reference must include the following sections:

1. Introduction

• 1. Purpose
• 2. Scope
• 3. Definitions, acronyms and abbreviations
• 4. Links
• 5. Brief overview

2. General description

• 1. Product interactions (with other products and components)
• 2. Product features (brief description)
• 3. User characteristics
• 4. Limitations
• 5. Assumptions and dependencies

3. Detailed requirements (can be organized in different ways, e.g. like this)

• 1. Requirements for external interfaces
  • 1. User Interfaces
  • 2. Hardware interfaces
  • 3. Software interfaces
  • 4. Interfaces
• 2. Functional requirements
• 3. Performance requirements
• 4. Design Constraints (and References to Standards)
• 5. Non-functional requirements (reliability, availability, security, etc.)
• 6. Other requirements

4. Applications
5. Alphabetical index

In fact, it is quite difficult for a beginner to understand what should be contained in these sections according to the above structure (as in the case of GOST), so you need to read the standard itself, which. , however, in English. language.

Well, for those who read to the end, there’s a bonus: an example of technical specifications that I wrote many years ago (now I haven’t been working as an analyst for a long time, and other more successful examples are prohibited from being opened for public viewing by the NDA).

• Presentation by Yuri Buluy Classification of software requirements and its representation in standards and methodologies.
• Analysis of requirements for automated information systems. Lecture 11: Documenting requirements.
• (read along with comments)
• Examples of technical specifications and other documentation for the development of AS for the Ministry of Economic Development
• GOST management style. Gaperton article on correct work with technical specifications according to GOST
• Business Analyst Document Templates from

Legal entities and other interested parties have the right to detail the requirements for the work performed in separate documents attached to the main work contract. This document, which is important when concluding a transaction, is subject to certain requirements by current legislation.

Such mandatory conditions must be fulfilled, otherwise the terms of reference signed and approved by the parties may be recognized by the court as invalid and not subject to application.

Essential conditions of the technical requirements for the performance of work:

1. Compliance with Russian legislation, as well as the main contract for the performance of work. Information set out in the terms of reference for the performance of work, but not complying with the requirements of the law or previously reached agreements of the parties within the framework of the concluded contract, may be considered invalid and not enforceable.

2. What has been prepared must be agreed upon and approved by representatives of the parties in the manner prescribed by law and agreements. The signing of the terms of reference for the performance of work by unauthorized citizens and officials leads to the recognition of such a document as not concluded. The presence of sufficient authority can be confirmed by presenting supporting documents and attaching them to the TOR materials. Such documents may be powers of attorney, extracts and orders, instructions.

3. Written form of production of the document and possible attachments to it. Although oral agreements between the parties are not prohibited by current legislation, written documents take precedence. The parties have the right to use standard forms and samples of technical specifications, including those independently developed. The terms of reference forms can be attached to the main contract for the performance of work.

The parties have the right to enter into agreements and accompanying documents by notarizing their forms. In this case, all subsequent documents created must also have a notarized form.

4. Developed and signed technical. the task is mandatory for execution by all parties to the transaction and is an integral part of the main agreement.

Recognition of the main agreement as invalid entails the invalidity of the agreements set out in the technical specifications, which are an appendix to it. At the same time, a technical specification declared invalid by a court does not automatically give rise to the invalidity of the main contract for the performance of work.

The sample document in question is signed by the parties in a number of copies sufficient to perform the actions specified in the work contract. If necessary, additional copies of technical documents can be produced and signed. assignments for submission to third parties, as well as to supervisory and regulatory authorities.

All prepared assignments must have the same legal content and have identical legal force. One copy of the terms of reference signed by the parties and certified by the seal of the organizations is transferred to all participants in the execution of the contract for use as part of the performance of previously agreed upon work.

A technical specification is an initial document intended for the design development of a construction project, containing all the data about the object and all the characteristics that the object should have after completion of the work. Judging by the text composition, we can say that the terms of reference for construction are an example of what the customer wants.

Approximate content of technical specifications

The ideal completed technical specification for construction design should include all the information that the client can provide.

The customer must clearly understand what he wants to get as a result and convey this information to the contractor.

The terms of reference usually consist of the following sections.

Total information

This section should contain the following information (at the discretion of the customer):

• Justification for construction - an order from the head of the customer organization or another document.
• Type of construction - newly started, reconstruction or other.
• Full name of the customer organization.
• Information about the characteristics of the site allocated for construction - geological features, soil type, location of groundwater, presence of vegetation for cutting down.
• Basic requirements for the object: type of object, purpose, number of floors, the possibility of using standard projects or only individual ones, building area and the permissibility of using the underground space of the site.
• Construction sequence - if there is a sequence for launching equipment or installations at the site.
• Required start and completion dates for construction. Desired date of completion of the object. This point must be present in any technical specification. The date of delivery of the object must be earlier or coincide with the date of the concluded contract.
• The degree of reliability of the building (in accordance with the requirements of GOST 54257-2010).
• Design characteristics - number of stages.
• Availability of initial documentation for construction, including all permits.

Design requirements

• The completeness of urban planning decisions is the need for landscaping and landscaping of the site. This paragraph should also contain requirements for the placement of the construction project on the site.
• Facility architecture, including façade solutions and building energy efficiency solutions. In this paragraph you can specify the number of balconies, windows, the placement of the main and emergency exits and their design.
• Features of design solutions: proposed type of foundation, walls and ceilings.
• Finishing solutions: the possibility of using local or imported materials, recommendations for their use and choice of colors.
• Engineering solutions: efficient location of utility networks, including solutions for optimizing water supply and wastewater disposal.
• Energy supply of the facility and its efficiency. This item can even include the required number of sockets in each room.
• Lighting design. The clause may include a requirement to carry out the necessary calculations for lighting standards for each room at the facility.
• The need to design security systems (security and fire alarms or both security and fire alarms separately), data transmission systems and other systems (ventilation, heating, air conditioning).
• Infrastructure of the facility and site - availability of parking lots, pedestrian paths, and well-maintained access roads.
• Customer requirements for the content of design and estimate documents and the form of their submission.
• The need for feasibility studies of all calculations.

Additional instructions

This paragraph should indicate those customer requirements that are not reflected in the previous paragraphs. For example, the availability of demonstration materials, the need to develop various passports for the future facility, the number of copies of project documentation.

As practice shows, such a complete construction task is developed only in cases of large, newly organized construction of objects, including shopping centers and residential complexes. Information on each item should be as complete as the customer deems necessary.

Options for designing technical specifications

There are no uniform requirements for the preparation of technical specifications.

That is, the form of the task is almost arbitrary, but as understandable as possible for the performer. You can complete the task in the form of continuous formatted text, or you can do it in tabular form.

1. Technical assignment No. 1. Variant of questions that should contain technical specifications for the construction of a house of the future (smart home). This option is suitable for particularly demanding customers when planning large individual residential construction.
2. Technical assignment No. 2. A ready-made technical specification for the design of a hotel, which maximally reflects the requirements for construction as a whole and the design features of the facility.
3. Technical assignment No. 3. This example is a technical specification for the construction and design of a warehouse complex with office premises, written in continuous text.
4. Explanation of the technical specification form (with examples) from the developer protection center. This page provides samples of approved tasks for different types of work.

Responsibility when drawing up technical specifications

When drawing up a document such as a technical specification for the construction of a building, the customer needs to clearly formulate all the important points. The content of the assignment should not cause controversial issues or ambiguity. This document has legal weight and is necessarily attached to the agreement between the contractor and the customer in the form of one of the main appendices. The immediate executor bears administrative responsibility for the correctness of the assignment.