mithr17

 Profile Answers by mithr17 

• Nov 1st, 2011

 

"Features" and "functionalities" are being used interchangeably by the IT crowd without understanding the differences. Feature are what makes up an application. What does the application possess/contain?

Lets take an online banking application ("app") example. This app will have login feature, online chat feature, online help videos feature, checking account feature, bill pay feature etc. This is what an online banking application will contain or posses.

Functionality: Functions are how a user uses the application feature to achieve certain tasks.
Going back to the online banking application example: suppose a user wants to pay off credit card bill. User will log in (log in feature is being used) and go to bill pay (bill pay feature), add the credit card and pay of the credit card bill (interface).

"how" is functionality and "what" is feature.

Scenarios are the different way or means of accessing or utilizing the feature.
Again going back to online banking application example, let's suppose a user wants to check 'checking' account balance.
Scenario A - User could pay of a credit card and go to checking account and check balance amount.
Scenario B - User could transfer money from checking to savings account and then check 'checking' account balance.
Scenario C - User can just log in and then check his account balance.

So you see the different ways a user reach his/her ultimate goal - in our case of 'checking account' balance.