Project Requirements
✅ 1. What Are Project Requirements?
📌 Definition:
Project Requirements are detailed statements that describe:
What needs to be delivered (the product/service).
How it should work (the features, functions, constraints).
Conditions that must be met for the project to be successful.
💡 In simple terms: Requirements define what stakeholders expect, ensuring the project meets their needs.
✅ 2. Why Are Requirements Important?
Reason
Benefit
Define project scope
Clarifies what is included and excluded.
Align stakeholder expectations
Prevents misunderstandings and conflicts.
Guide design and development
Helps teams build the right solution.
Basis for testing and validation
Ensures the final product meets needs.
Avoid costly changes
Reduces risks of rework due to unclear needs.
✅ 3. Types of Project Requirements
Type
Description
Example
Business Requirements
High-level needs and goals of the organization.
Increase online sales by 20% in 12 months.
Stakeholder Requirements
Needs of individuals or groups involved.
Marketing wants integration with social media.
Functional Requirements
Specific behaviors, features, and functions.
System must allow users to reset passwords.
Non-functional Requirements
Quality attributes: performance, security, usability.
Website must load within 2 seconds.
Regulatory/Compliance Requirements
Legal and policy obligations.
GDPR compliance for data privacy.
System Requirements
Hardware and software needs.
Runs on Windows 11 and macOS.
✅ 4. Characteristics of Good Requirements (INVEST / SMART)
Characteristic
Meaning
Independent
Each requirement stands alone.
Negotiable
Open to discussion and clarification.
Valuable
Provides value to stakeholders.
Estimable
Can be estimated for effort and cost.
Small
Manageable in scope and detail.
Testable
Can be verified through testing.
Also follows SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
✅ 5. Requirement Gathering Process
Step
Description
1. Identify stakeholders
List all individuals and groups involved.
2. Conduct elicitation
Gather information through interviews, workshops, surveys.
3. Analyze and prioritize
Determine which requirements are critical.
4. Document requirements
Write clear, detailed, and structured requirements.
5. Validate with stakeholders
Confirm that requirements reflect actual needs.
6. Manage and track changes
Update and control requirements as the project evolves.
✅ 6. Techniques for Gathering Requirements
Technique
Description
Interviews
One-on-one discussions with stakeholders.
Workshops/Brainstorming
Group sessions for collaborative input.
Surveys/Questionnaires
Collect broad input efficiently.
Document Analysis
Review existing documentation, contracts.
Observation (Job Shadowing)
Watch users perform tasks to discover needs.
Prototyping/Mockups
Create visual models to refine requirements.
Use Cases/User Stories
Describe how users will interact with the system.
✅ 7. Example of Well-Defined Requirement
Requirement Type
Example
Functional
"The system shall allow users to reset their password via email verification."
Non-functional
"The website must load in under 2 seconds on 4G networks."
Business
"Enable customers to order products online by Q3 to increase sales by 20%."
Regulatory
"The system must comply with GDPR for user data management."
✅ 8. Role of Business Analyst (BA) in Requirements Management
BA's Responsibility
Purpose
Elicit requirements
Gather needs from stakeholders.
Analyze and validate
Ensure requirements are clear and aligned.
Document requirements
Create BRD (Business Requirements Document) or SRS (Software Requirements Specification).
Facilitate communication
Act as a bridge between business and technical teams.
Support testing
Ensure system meets business needs.
✅ 9. Tools for Managing Requirements
Purpose
Tools
Requirement Documentation
Confluence, Word, Google Docs.
Requirement Tracking
Jira, Azure DevOps, Trello.
Collaboration
Slack, Microsoft Teams, Miro.
Diagramming and Modeling
Lucidchart, Visio, Draw.io, Balsamiq.
Prototyping
Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch.
✅ 10. Challenges in Requirements Management
Challenge
Solution
Unclear or vague requirements
Use structured elicitation, clarify through examples.
Changing requirements (scope creep)
Use change management process.
Conflicting stakeholder needs
Facilitate discussions to prioritize.
Incomplete requirements
Conduct thorough elicitation and validation.
✅ 11. Summary of Project Requirements
Aspect
Explanation
Definition
Detailed description of what the project must deliver.
Types
Business, Stakeholder, Functional, Non-functional, Regulatory.
Importance
Align expectations, guide development, ensure quality.
BA Role
Gather, analyze, document, validate, manage.
Tools
Jira, Confluence, Visio, Figma.
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