Do you use a design document?

[gravaera]

Yo:

@OP: Definitely -- I wouldn't be able to stay focused without my notebooks. I've solved bugs, thought of new functionality, and come to understand various trying concepts thanks to them

--Peace out,
gravaera

[evoex]

Is there anybody willing to share their design documents (just one or two pages, as examples)? I just wonder the way you guys design. This is actually a flaw in my coding; I don't do this often enough.

Or, if you're not willing to share, how do you design it? What does it look like; is it UML; what level of detail do you include, etc?

[Owen]

Probably not the most common case, but you can find one of mine here

[JamesM]

It requires login, Owen.

[Owen]

It requires login, Owen.

Whoops! Fixed.

[cxzuk]

i remember seeing some uml diagrams for pedigree.. but cant seem to find them again.

[neon]

neon:
I meant not of the actual code being documented, merely the main concept. Do you have any "Overview" documentation, that gives you a general overview of what your OS does?

Actually I don't use any general design document...not for the whole software system, anyways. Wouldn't even know where to start with it. Its why I prefer writing documents on "components" like the executive or boot library rather then a single document that attempts to describe all... even if it is just general material.

[bluemoon]

Is there anybody willing to share their design documents (just one or two pages, as examples)? I just wonder the way you guys design.

I usually write document in 2 forms: white paper and slide.
White paper:

Code: Select all

Front page: title, subtitle, tags, change log
TOC
Introduction
Goals
Overview (concept and architectural)
Component Relation Diagrams
Detail (Depends on what to document)
Requirements
Appendix
References

Slide is much shorter, which is usually a few diagrams to highlight a design or concept; and its sometime embedded in a white paper.

[Congdm]

Thinking in general first takes a lot time but save you from many problems later. It worth your time.

I even code on paper first before turning the editor on. Why? Because sitting in front of computer and staring into monitor for a long period of time will make yourself tired. When the brain is tired, it is more likely to make mistakes. Coding without design first will make you thinking a lot while coding. It make you tired quickly and more likely to make bug.