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MinimumViableSpec.md

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Minimum Viable Specification

Summary

What is the thing we are describing? This should be a short summmary of 100 words or fewer.

Why we should do it

Provide a clear reason for taking on this project. Typically, this will take the form of a solution to a use case.

Assumptions

Enumerate some of the assumptions driving this project.

  1. List a few assumptions that led us here

  2. Add a few more assumptions, but not too many

Goal

What metrics are we using to measure this project? Think "X to Y by when" to quantify a metric.

Here are a few metrics that will define success in this project. A goal listed here might be an intermediate or a final goal.

Outputs

List the business outcomes that reaching a metric would achieve

  1. These are a few outcomes we want to achieve

  2. And a few more...

Benefit

List the benefits that this project hopes to acheive

  • These are the stated benefits of our outcomes

  • And a few more...

How will we do it

This is a list of actions toward the goal. Be concrete and specific

Here is our best-effort description of how we will do this thing as of [today’s date]

What could go wrong

Take a minute to think about what can (and will) go wrong.

  • These are a few potential risks to our approach

  • And a few more...

Open Questions

  • What questions have we not asked yet?

  • Who or what will make this team stronger or this project more successful?

Metrics

Metrics should state an item that will change from x value to y value by a date. Metric descriptions might also include a lower bound, and upper bound, and instructions for what to do when either a lower or upper bound is breached

We will measure our progress with these metrics:

  1. Metric x, checked on y date, with method z

  2. Metric x, checked on y date, with method z

Time, Cost, and Effort

Take your best guess at estimating the time, cost, and effort.

How much time will it take, what will it cost, and how are you estimating this effort?

Discussion

This is a placeholder for meeting notes and discussion.

A place for us to put our notes about the discussions we have on this project.

Parking Lot

If an item is not relevant to the current discussion but might be interesting later, add it here.

A place for us to list all of the great ideas we get that are not immediately relevant to this project.

What is this document?

What is a Minimum Viable Specification?

What you need to do to get to done.

How long should it take me to fill this out?

You should be able to fill out the key points of a Minimum Viable Specification in 15 minutes.

What version of this document am I looking at?

v0.1, last updated 6/5/2016

Can I find it on Google Docs?

Here is a template

Is this freely shareable?

Go forth and use it according to GPL

What should I do if I want to get more involved?