You have probably wondered what functional design of a product is and how it can be elaborated, as well as the conditions that must be fulfilled in order to achieve greater efficiency and output. Therefore, it should be noted that the functional design is a specification of the software features that the end users have agreed upon.
In short, functional design is a formal document that we use to help software developers describe in detail the capabilities, appearance and intended interactions with users.
The design specifies the logical flow of the system, its inputs and outputs, the organisation of data, the applicable processing and business rules, and how users should view it.
The main objective is to specify the actions of a system in a way that allows developers, users, stakeholders and sponsors to reach agreement.
Prototyping and functional design
Depending on the complexity of the application, prototyping is included as part of the functional design as it is easier for a user to understand than a written description. Prototyping, in this way, can be very useful to translate the technical design language into an understandable action.
In Infinita we bet on the elaboration of these prototypes in order to improve your project or make your idea tangible, turning it into reality with a detailed product design. In this sense, the advantages of prototyping would be the early resolution of problems and durability, the feedback received from customers, adaptability to user requirements, flexibility, shorter development time and feasibility.
Functional design and technical design
Where a functional design provides the details of what a system should do, the technical design provides the details of how the software should perform the actions. The generalities of a functional design must be translated into the specifications of the system’s database, programming, hardware and software requirements.
In other words, functional design determines the new system that users need and that works the way they want it to. Meanwhile, the technical design is the detailed functional design for developers to create the application.
What does functional design aim to achieve?
The main objectives and characteristics of functional product design are as follows:
- It defines the functional specifications of the application in clear terms with the users in mind.
- It is the basis for the technical design we do in the next phase.
- It shows how the new system will work.
- It is considered an iterative process and may result in a revision of the requirements.
- Provides the formal descriptions of the user’s tasks.
What a functional design should look like
The functional design document should contain descriptions of the important elements of the system. It includes the data model, the business and processing rules, the programme structure, the individual modules and their relationships, the input data, the forms of ingestion, the operations of each action, the manual workflows, the logical data flow of the system, the format of the output views or reports and how the system meets all legal requirements.
During the elaboration of the functional design, deliverables should be taken into account. These could be design changes, user documentation, requirements, logic specification or test plan.
Differences between functional design and aesthetic design
Aesthetic or conceptual design is associated with a more creative vision of the product. Before developing this type of design, it is necessary to carry out a market study to determine the viability of the new product or service and to know the user, who, through a good functional design, will maintain contact with developers, interested parties and sponsors in order to reach an agreement.
Functional design, as opposed to aesthetic design, is based on effectively solving a user’s problem from a functional point of view. It is clear that a product must be aesthetically appealing, as a product that is aesthetically appealing is more likely to be used. Moreover, the more attractive a website is, for example, the more users will interact with this site and the more likely it is to achieve good results.
How do we deal with functional design at INFINITIA?
At INFINITIA we combine different types of development to deliver a complete and different product or service design. In the end, we must keep in mind that the creation of functional design starts with the purpose of the product and a clear statement of what we are supposed to do with it and the users.
Functional design is related to customers and users, something that also influences the development of a product. The focus is on them and, based on their needs and ways of acting, everything else is structured around them. In both processes, there is also prototyping to achieve validation of ideas and greater functionality.
From INFINITIA’s technical team we work on other types of designs with a complete vision. We offer you all kinds of innovative solutions in product or service design, as well as all its phases and requirements. We seek to bring real value to your project, in addition to creating a good design because it is synonymous with efficiency and effectiveness.
We want your business to take off and become synonymous of quality and good results. So if you need to know how to get started or develop your own functional design, contact our team and tell us about your case.