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Software Requirements Capture Guideline
Quick Summary
Detailed guidelines from an experienced software development executive intent on capturing all necessary requirements, documenting them thoroughly, and ensuring they are well understood. Be sure you're actually building the right thing -- and be sure everyone else is sure, too.
What this is
A guideline written by an experienced software development executive, describing how to capture all the requirements necessary to build the right product, and ensure the requirements are well understood. While it will provide a head start to new developments, even existing systems can benefit from requirements documentation; it forms the basis for future modifications. You don't know where you're going unless you know where you are.
Why it's useful
Success in software development is highly dependant on understanding and then capturing requirements, even in an iterative development. However, the quality of requirements specifications varies widely, often even within an organization. Missing, poorly stated, or ambiguous requirements cause problems and result in rework. Combating these problems requires us to ask the right questions to make the requirements specifications better, clearer, and more complete, and then describe requirements in a clear, complete, consistent, unambiguous, and precise way.
How to use it
Follow the key steps provided in the guideline to develop a robust requirements documentation infrastructure in your organization.
Step 1: Determine and document a standard format and contents of requirements specifications.
Step 2: Determine and document the roles involved in the process; for example, who gives the requirements, documents them, reviews them, incorporates comments, answers questions, and authorizes the final build-to specification.
Step 3: Determine and document the process for gathering, documenting, and reviewing the requirements, incorporating feedback and changes, and approving the final specification.
Then, for each specification, follow the documented process to gather and document the requirements for the software product. Ask the right questions to be sure that the intent of the product is understood, and that the format is sufficient to document all aspects of the requirements. Analyze the requirements for consistency, precision, and completeness, to eliminate ambiguity, and to ensure that nothing has been overlooked. Sample sequence diagrams and usage scenarios (use cases) are included.
Anita Wotiz has held high-level management positions at a variety of companies and has transitioned from large, government research firms to small start-ups. With over 20 years of software engineering experience, she is adept at tailoring best practices to meet a company's needs, regardless of size, and at putting in place practices that will reap the most benefit for the cost. Her most recent position was VP of Engineering at a small enterprise application software company. Her years of experience allowed her to understand what works, and, sometimes just as important, what doesn't work. Anita has successfully applied her expertise in growing engineering organizations, defining ownership roles and responsibilities, and identifying interfaces between organizations for success in companies large and small. She holds a BS in Mathematics and an MS in Computer Science. She is currently the Coordinator of and an instructor for the new UC Santa Cruz Extension Software Engineering Management program.
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