A design specification (or product design specification) is a document which details exactly what criteria a product or a process should comply with. If the product or its design are being created on behalf of a customer, the specification should reflect the requirements of the customer or client.Engineering Product Design, Product definition, published 1 January 2023, accessed 23 January 2024 A design specification could, for example, include required dimensions, environmental factors, ergonomic factors, aesthetic factors, maintenance requirement, etc. It may also give specific examples of how the design should be executed, helping others work properly (a guideline for what the person should do).
Example of a design specification An example design specification, which may be a physical product, software, the construction of a building, or another type of output. Columns and information may be adjustable based on the output format. +Example design specification (with a product design focus)NumberCategoryDemand / wantWeighting numberRequirementSuccess criteriaMethod of assessmentDate modified1AestheticsDemand2Product must be blueProduct is blueVisual analysis03-212CostDemand1Product costs less than £300Product is less than £300Component cost analysis 03-213FunctionWant3Product is collapsibleProduct can reduce by at least 1/2 its sizePrototype testing05-214...
Special requirements Construction design specifications are referenced in US government procurement rules, where there is a requirement that an architect-engineer should specify using "the maximum practicable amount of recovered materials consistent with the performance requirements, availability, price reasonableness, and cost-effectiveness" in a construction design specification.US General Services Administration, Federal Acquisition Regulation: 36.601: Applicable contracting procedures, updated 22 January 2024, accessed 23 January 2024
See also Data sheet (Spec sheet) Design by contract Software requirements specification Specification
References
Other sources Mohan, S., Dr. "Design Specifications", Dr. S. Mohan. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Dec. 2015. "What Are Specifications?" Specificationsdenver. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Dec. 2015.