Thanks for your comments.

I think, in reality, analysis and design happen continously and iteratively. These may intervene with each other except in the most ideal circumstances. In any case, I hope you don’t disagree with the point that the actual design and code must reflect the wants of all the users, whether the actual step is the first or the n-th.

Subbu

First, on the matter of terminology:

“Analysis” is the process of determining WHAT is needed, “design” is the process of determining HOW to meet the need. The matter of “who is this for and what do they need from it” is called analysis, not design.

The quoted statement jumbles up the two processes. It would be much better formulated as:

1) Analysis begins by asking, who is this for and what do they need from it.

2) Design begins with a proper analysis.

Further, I disagree with statement (1). Asking “what do they need from it” occurs later in the analysis process, not at the beginning. Analysis begins by finding out who the users are, what they’re doing now, why they’re doing it, and why they’re doing it the way that they are. Then you abstract the essentials of the domain. THEN you are finally ready to determine what the users need from their system.