Pre-design - Analysis and Planning
Pre-design methodology to analyze needs, plan architecture, and effectively prepare for the development phase.
Pre-design is a crucial phase that precedes development. It allows for in-depth analysis of needs, architecture planning, and making the right technical decisions before starting to code.
🎯 Pre-design Objectives
Why Pre-design?
- Reduce risks: Identify potential problems early
- Optimize costs: Avoid expensive refactoring
- Improve quality: Design solid architecture
- Accelerate development: Clarify objectives and constraints
- Facilitate communication: Align the entire team
Note:
Key principle: "An hour of planning saves ten hours of development." Pre-design is a profitable investment.
Phase Deliverables
Pre-design Deliverables
Analysis Documents
- User needs analysis
- Functional specifications
- Technical and business constraints
- Risk analysis
Design Documents
- System architecture
- Data model
- Interfaces and wireframes
- Test plan
Planning Documents
- Product roadmap
- Development planning
- Resource allocation
- Deployment strategy
📊 Needs Analysis
Gathering Techniques
1. User Interviews
User Interview Guide
Preparation
- Identify key personas
- Prepare open-ended questions
- Define interview objectives
- Plan note-taking/recording
Typical Questions
Context
- "Can you describe your typical day?"
- "What tools do you currently use?"
- "What are your main frustrations?"
Needs
- "What would you ideally like to accomplish?"
- "What would save you time?"
- "What is absolutely essential?"
Priorities
- "If you could only have one feature, which one?"
- "What would prevent you from using the tool?"
2. Co-design Workshops
Design Thinking Workshop
Phase 1: Empathy (30 min)
- Personas mapping
- User journey mapping
- Pain points identification
Phase 2: Definition (20 min)
- Problem statement
- How Might We questions
- Success criteria
Phase 3: Ideation (40 min)
- Solution brainstorming
- Dot voting
- Solution clustering
Phase 4: Prototype (60 min)
- Sketching
- Paper prototyping
- Story boarding
Phase 5: Test (30 min)
- User feedback
- Iteration planning
Needs Documentation
Needs Expression Template
Needs Expression - [Project Name]
1. Business Context
Problem
[Description of the problem to solve]
Stakes
- Financial: [Budget impact, expected ROI]
- Strategic: [Competitive positioning]
- Operational: [Process improvement]
Target Users
Persona | Profile | Main Needs | Constraints |
---|---|---|---|
End User | [Description] | [Needs list] | [Limitations] |
Administrator | [Description] | [Needs list] | [Limitations] |
Manager | [Description] | [Needs list] | [Limitations] |
2. Functional Requirements
Critical Features
- F1: [Detailed description]
- Acceptance criteria: [List]
- Priority: Critical
- Complexity: [Estimate]
Important Features
- F2: [Detailed description]
Desirable Features
- F3: [Detailed description]
3. Non-Functional Requirements
Performance
- Response time: < 2 seconds
- Throughput: 1000 simultaneous users
- Availability: 99.9%
Security
- Authentication: OAuth 2.0
- Encryption: TLS 1.3
- Personal data: GDPR compliant
Compatibility
- Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
- Devices: Desktop, tablet, mobile
- OS: Windows, macOS, Linux
🏗️ Architecture and Design
System Modeling
Architecture Layers
3-Tier Architecture
Presentation Layer
- Frontend: React.js / Vue.js
- Mobile: React Native / Flutter
- Responsive: Bootstrap / Tailwind CSS
Business Logic Layer
- API: Node.js / Python / Java
- Authentication: JWT / OAuth 2.0
- Business Logic: Business services
- Validation: Business rules
Data Layer
- Main Database: PostgreSQL / MySQL
- Cache: Redis / Memcached
- Files: AWS S3 / Azure Blob
- Search: Elasticsearch
Data Modeling
Conceptual Model
-- Example: Project Management Application
-- Main Entities
User {
id: UUID (PK)
email: STRING UNIQUE
password_hash: STRING
first_name: STRING
last_name: STRING
role: ENUM(USER, ADMIN, MANAGER)
created_at: TIMESTAMP
updated_at: TIMESTAMP
}
Project {
id: UUID (PK)
name: STRING
description: TEXT
status: ENUM(DRAFT, ACTIVE, COMPLETED, ARCHIVED)
owner_id: UUID (FK -> User.id)
start_date: DATE
end_date: DATE
created_at: TIMESTAMP
}
Task {
id: UUID (PK)
title: STRING
description: TEXT
status: ENUM(TODO, IN_PROGRESS, DONE)
priority: ENUM(LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH, URGENT)
project_id: UUID (FK -> Project.id)
assigned_to: UUID (FK -> User.id)
due_date: DATE
created_at: TIMESTAMP
}
-- Relations
ProjectMember {
project_id: UUID (FK -> Project.id)
user_id: UUID (FK -> User.id)
role: ENUM(MEMBER, LEAD, OBSERVER)
joined_at: TIMESTAMP
}
### Interface Design
#### Wireframes and Mockups
# UI/UX Design Process
## 1. User Journey Mapping
- [ ] Identify main user paths
- [ ] Map steps and touchpoints
- [ ] Identify friction moments
- [ ] Define emotions at each step
## 2. Information Architecture
- [ ] Existing content inventory
- [ ] Categorization and hierarchy
- [ ] Navigation and menu structure
- [ ] Taxonomy and labeling
## 3. Wireframing
- [ ] Low-fidelity sketch (paper/balsamiq)
- [ ] Main page structure
- [ ] Key element placement
- [ ] Inter-screen navigation
## 4. Prototyping
- [ ] High-fidelity mockups (Figma/Sketch)
- [ ] Design system and components
- [ ] Interactions and animations
- [ ] User testing on prototype
#### Design System
# Design System - [Project Name]
## Colors
### Primary Colors
- **Primary**: #3B82F6 (Main blue)
- **Secondary**: #64748B (Secondary gray)
- **Success**: #10B981 (Success green)
- **Warning**: #F59E0B (Warning orange)
- **Error**: #EF4444 (Error red)
### Background Colors
- **Background**: #FFFFFF (White)
- **Surface**: #F8FAFC (Very light gray)
- **Border**: #E2E8F0 (Border gray)
## Typography
### Main Font
- **Font Family**: Inter, sans-serif
- **Weights**: 400 (Regular), 500 (Medium), 600 (Semi-bold), 700 (Bold)
### Hierarchy
- **H1**: 2.25rem (36px), Semi-bold
- **H2**: 1.875rem (30px), Semi-bold
- **H3**: 1.5rem (24px), Medium
- **Body**: 1rem (16px), Regular
- **Caption**: 0.875rem (14px), Regular
## Spacing
- **XS**: 0.25rem (4px)
- **S**: 0.5rem (8px)
- **M**: 1rem (16px)
- **L**: 1.5rem (24px)
- **XL**: 2rem (32px)
- **XXL**: 3rem (48px)
## 📋 Risk Analysis
### Risk Identification
# Risk Matrix
## Technical Risks
| Risk | Probability | Impact | Criticality | Mitigation |
|------|-------------|--------|-------------|------------|
| Insufficient performance | Medium | High | **High** | Load testing, scalable architecture |
| Data security | Low | Very High | **High** | Security audit, encryption |
| Browser compatibility | High | Medium | **Medium** | Cross-browser testing, polyfills |
| Third-party API integration | Medium | Medium | **Medium** | Fallback API, error handling |
## Project Risks
| Risk | Probability | Impact | Criticality | Mitigation |
|------|-------------|--------|-------------|------------|
| Delivery delay | Medium | High | **High** | Planning buffer, prioritization |
| Requirements change | High | Medium | **Medium** | Agile method, MVP |
| Unavailable resources | Low | High | **Medium** | Backup plan, training |
| Budget exceeded | Medium | High | **High** | Regular monitoring, scope control |
### Contingency Plan
# Contingency Plan
## If Insufficient Performance
### Immediate Actions
- [ ] Complete performance audit
- [ ] Identify bottlenecks
- [ ] Optimize critical code
### Long-term Actions
- [ ] Architecture refactoring
- [ ] Implement caching
- [ ] Migrate to more powerful infrastructure
## If Development Delay
### Immediate Actions
- [ ] Prioritize MVP features
- [ ] Temporarily increase resources
- [ ] Reduce non-critical scope
### Long-term Actions
- [ ] Revise estimates
- [ ] Improve processes
- [ ] Team training
## 🎯 Validation and Approval
### Validation Checklist
# Pre-design Validation
## Analysis Documents
- [ ] **User needs**: Validated by stakeholders
- [ ] **Functional specifications**: Complete and unambiguous
- [ ] **Technical constraints**: Identified and documented
- [ ] **Risk analysis**: Completed with mitigation plans
## Technical Design
- [ ] **System architecture**: Validated by technical team
- [ ] **Data model**: Coherent and normalized
- [ ] **User interfaces**: Validated by end users
- [ ] **Test strategy**: Defined and planned
## Planning
- [ ] **Product roadmap**: Approved by management
- [ ] **Development planning**: Realistic and detailed
- [ ] **Budget**: Validated and allocated
- [ ] **Team**: Assembled and trained
## Success Criteria
- [ ] **Metrics**: Defined and measurable
- [ ] **Acceptance criteria**: Clear for each feature
- [ ] **Definition of Done**: Established for the team
<Note type="success">
**Objective**: At the end of pre-design, all participants should have a clear and shared vision of the project, its objectives, architecture, and implementation.
</Note>
## 🚀 Transition to Development
### Team Preparation
# Development Team Onboarding
## Documentation to Provide
- [ ] **Complete specifications**: Functional and technical
- [ ] **Mockups and designs**: Complete design system
- [ ] **Detailed architecture**: Diagrams and technical documentation
- [ ] **Coding standards**: Guidelines and best practices
## Necessary Training
- [ ] **Project presentation**: Context, objectives, users
- [ ] **Technical architecture**: Technologies, patterns, conventions
- [ ] **Tools and processes**: Git workflow, CI/CD, collaboration tools
- [ ] **Quality standards**: Tests, code review, documentation
## Environments to Prepare
- [ ] **Development**: Standardized local configuration
- [ ] **Integration**: Automated testing environment
- [ ] **Staging**: Client validation environment
- [ ] **Production**: Deployment infrastructure
### Monitoring Metrics
# Development KPIs
## Progress
- **Velocity**: Story points completed per sprint
- **Burndown**: Progress toward objectives
- **Scope Creep**: Scope evolution
## Quality
- **Code Coverage**: Percentage of tested code
- **Bug Rate**: Number of bugs per feature
- **Technical Debt**: Accumulated technical debt
## Performance
- **Lead Time**: Feature completion time
- **Cycle Time**: Time between start and end of development
- **Deployment Frequency**: Production deployment frequency
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Successful pre-design is the foundation of a successful project. It transforms a vague idea into a clear and achievable action plan!