Specs writen before code ARE useless (Score 2, Informative)

Specs written before code ARE useless, for software is far too complex for humans to be able to describe accurately without having explored the problem space in a formal way (for example, by coding it, at which point the code becomes the spec).

The OSI layer was (and, for the most part, still is) a pre-code spec. Most successful specs, in particular IETF specs such as the TCP/IP suite, are *post code* specs; they were written after or concurrent with code that implements the spec (this is an IETF requirement).

Specs written before coding commit software development projects to a higher degree of complexity in a single stage of software development (specification). This additional complexity results in an increased risk of software defects in that stage and in later stages, and, independently, increased costs to implement and maintain the software.

Simplicity rules software development. Software projects succeed or fail exactly because they do or do not prioritize simplicity first. Humans are cognitively mal-adapted for comprehending non-simple systems. Exploring the spec formally (by coding it) helps humans understand complex systems. Specs are not bad, so long as that spec is code.

These are some of the tenets of Agile software development.