Specifying What the Project Should Accomplish

Delivering Satisfaction

The Nature of requirements

Functional RequirementsDescribe the characteristics of the deliverable in ordinary, non-technical language.

Technical Requirements

describe the features of the deliverable in detailed technical terms.

Problems with Requirements l

Incorrect Requirements• Carefully articulate needs.• Identify the most relevant customers and

meet their needs.• Work closely with the customer to articulate

needs.• Don’t succumb to pitfalls

• Gold-plating• Imposing their own needs on customers• Paternalistic imposition of needs

Problems with Requirements ll

Imprecise Requirements• The Nature of Human Language• Deliberate Imprecision for Flexibility• Human Conflict Preventing Consensus• Inherently Nebulous Information-Age

Projects• Customer’s Lack of Expertise• Oversights on the Part of Project Planners

Problems with Requirements lll

Shifting Requirements• Buyer’s Remorse• Insurmountable Obstacles• Flights of Fancy• Seizing Opportunities

The Fundamental Tradeoff in Specifying Requirements

Over-specification of Requirements• Insufficient Information• Initiative Discouraged• Requirements Ignored• Costly Rework Efforts

Excessive Flexibility• Patchwork Deliverables• Chaotic Project Planning• Time and Cost Overruns

General Guidelines for Specifying Requirements

1. State the requirement explicitly and have project staff and customers sign off on it.

2. Be realistic; assume that if a requirement can be misinterpreted.

3. Be realistic; recognize that there will be changes on your project and that things will not go precisely as anticipated.

General Guidelines for Specifying Requirements (cont.)

4. To as great an extent as possible, include pictures, graphs, physical models, and other nonverbal exhibits in the formulation of requirements

5. Establish a system to monitor carefully any changes made to the requirements.

6. Educate project staff and customers to the problems of specifying requirements.

Application Prototyping

Requirements determined as the project is being carried out.• Work up incomplete model.assess and refine• Design another more complete model.assess and refineContinue until well-defined prototype is developed.Requires clear rules for assessment & refinement

Conclusion

Be aware of the role that the requirements play in the evolution of the project.

The requirements form the basis of projects plans.