10 Steps to Better Requirements Larry Fellows Compliance Automation, Inc.

Standish Group Survey - 1995 17% On Time & On Budget 33% Cancelled (Cost $81B) 50% Challenged (Cost $59B) Average Challenged Project: 189% Over Budget 222% Behind Schedule Only 61% of originally specified features delivered.

Standish Group Survey - 2002 34% On Time & On Budget 15% Cancelled (Cost $81B) 51% Challenged (Cost $59B)

A Winning Product On Time On Budget Required Functions Right Quality

Step 1 – Define the NEED

Step 2 – Identify the Stakeholders Engineering Designers Software Logistics Operations Testing Manufacturing Service System Marketing Customer Reliability Developers

Stakeholder Knowledge Common Knowledge Shared Knowledge Unique Knowledge

Create Common Vision Common Knowledge Unique Knowledge Shared Knowledge Unique Knowledge

Step 3 – Recognize the Drivers Higher Level Requirements Cost Regulations Specification Standards Existing systems & processes User expectations Schedule

Step 4 – Gather Operational Concepts

Step 5 – Define External Interfaces Your System database keyboard display Power other software test hardware Physical other hardware command status command & data

Communication problems

Step 6 – Create a Simple Format Who What

Step 7 – Avoid Ambiguous Terminology

Step 8 – Define Requirement Rationale

Step 9 – Capture Verification Method

Step 10 – Use a Standard Template

No Surprises But they always are. People who write bad requirements should not be surprised when they get bad products But they always are. Ivy Hooks