Writing embedded software without having a firm set of requirements for the project is like starting to build a new house without a clear idea of how many rooms it should have, where the windows and doors should be, and where the plumbing and wiring should run.
While you can totally start writing working code and hammer out a functioning prototype in no time, the reality is that these prototypes are usually put into production without having had time to fully consider the life cycle of the product, or those who will have to keep patching up the firmware over the coming years to add features that the original firmware code was never designed for.
After completing the requirements that the product has to fulfill, these are then translated into an architecture (the overall structure of the application), which is then translated into a design (what will...
