Why is there no product for specifying software?

Question

After a long time working in software I&rsquo;ve noticed that not enough time is spent specifying software, and that there is no formal process or software used to specify software.Why is that?

jordhy · Accepted Answer

There is something called UML -- this is a dying though There was something called Rational Rose -- maybe it still exists somehow
Today we use wireframes and Adobe XD mock up as most of the products are mobile/web-based.
The formal specification of software practice started to fade when product managers came into the software development lifecycle. Back in the day, technical managers and information architecs would make detailed specs detailing everything about an upcoming platform. Only to see have of it be change by a manager/business stakeholder.
Today the push is for speed and cost reduction - fail fast and break things. It's really not as bad as it sounds but way worst.

cratermoon · Answer

> not enough time is spent specifying software
How long have you been working in software? It's been known since 1970, when Winston W. Royce wrote "Managing the development of large software systems: concepts and techniques", that big design up front waterfall development "is risky and invites failure".[1]
What sorts of problems are you looking to solve, and how would spending more time and formality in specifications address them?
1 http://www-scf.usc.edu/~csci201/lectures/Lecture11/royce1970...