Products Design Documents

We have setup a process for designing large features within the Akvo Development Team.

We're not so fond of strict processes, but having things written down does help us to ensure we all know where things are and what each other are doing and that we are all working in the same direction.

If you're looking to build a new feature for your product or a new common service, then simply follow the procedure below, and everything will go smoothly.

Issues should be created first - this will give you a number that can be assigned to your feature and referenced for later.

There is a template for new issues to help guide the process here: https://github.com/akvo/akvo-product-design/blob/master/templates/1-IssueTemplate.md

The Functional Design should be completed by the Product Manager, Product Owner or whoever is initiating the project. This should contain as much requirements based information as possible, while trying not to be prescriptive with the solution that needs to be provided to the problem being faced.

There is a template for new issues to help guide the process here: https://github.com/akvo/akvo-product-design/blob/master/templates/2-FunctionalDesignTemplate.md

When the Functional Design has been reviewed by peers, it should be signed off by the Product Manager at the bottom before work continues on the Visual Design.

The Visual Design should contain user flows with mockups, screenshots or prototype details showing how the users should experience using the feature or service.

There is a template for new issues to help guide the process here: https://github.com/akvo/akvo-product-design/blob/master/templates/3-VisualDesignTemplate.md

When the Visual Design has been reviewed by peers, it should be signed off by the Design Team at the bottom before work continues on the Technical Design.

The Technical Design should contain all the details of how the feature will be implemented, including any new or existing technologies tha6t will be used and all dependencies that will be affected.

There is a template for new issues to help guide the process here: https://github.com/akvo/akvo-product-design/blob/master/templates/4-TechnicalDesignTemplate.md

When the Technical Design has been reviewed by peers, it should be signed off by the Engineering Lead at the bottom before work continues on Coding.