The functions list is a good start and gives an excellent overview of what we want to achieve, however qualifiers like "cheap" and "robust" are not explicit enough to efficiently translate them to solutions yet. So the next task is to make the list of functional specifications. Take the functions list and add proper quantifiers or explanations as much as possible:

• External functions (hardware)
  • Cheap
    • Less than $200 per computer, including transport to Malawi
  • Maintainable
    • Easily exchangeable parts in case something breaks if user maintainable
    • Require only basic tools (fingers, screwdrivers...) to fix broken elements
  • Light
    • Less than 10Kg per computer
  • Robust
    • Do not break when subjected to light shocks, standard care for sensitive electronics applies
  • Possibility to connect to the Internet
    • Need internet connection for light data exchange (emails, documents)
    • Connection does not have to be permanent
• Internal functions (software)
  • Cheap
    • Open-source and free software only
  • Maintainable
    • System easily updated with a graphical user interface (GUI)
    • Easy installation of new software with a GUI
  • No danger of data loss in case of power outage
    • Backup system that saves a copy of sensitive data
    • Robust against data corruption in case of power-loss
  • Have office tools (text editor, spreadsheets)
    • Google Docs, OpenOffice, LibreOffice...

This is the list that might change the most during the project development. If somebody offers to transport the goods for free then we might up the weight limit, if the solution provides its own backup system in case of power loss we might even remove this function...

We are slowly approaching the final steps of the first milestone. We know our needs and what functions the project must fill and now we have quantified the quantifiable. It is finally time to start brainstorming about the possible solutions.