IT product specifications

The example given is that of a smart card reader developed by Bull.

The context of the project was as follows:

• rapid need for a new margin-generating product;

• the company's existing expertise in the smart card reader market;

• a market that is poorly understood by decision-makers, requiring a cautious but sure approach;

• a desire to apply an innovative approach to ensure the proper placement of development and industrialization credits.

The development of this smart card reader project requires careful reading of the general approach to functional specifications, developed in the specialized article in this section. The development of this example is in line with the general approach; it also introduces the notion of "Quality Function Deployment" (QFD), which adds a slightly richer variant to the drafting of the CdCF.

For reasons of volume, the example chosen is a project of reduced dimensions, but the approach used on large projects (300 functions) is the same.

For confidentiality reasons, the cost values and competitor names shown on the various QFD matrices are modified.