Summary

Develop an understanding with the requirements providers on the meaning of the requirements.

Description

As the project matures and requirements are derived, all activities or disciplines will receive requirements. To avoid requirements creep, criteria are established to designate appropriate channels or official sources from which to receive requirements. Those who receive requirements conduct analyses of them with the provider to ensure that a compatible, shared understanding is reached on the meaning of requirements. The result of these analyses and dialogs is a set of approved requirements.

Example Work Products



  1. Lists of criteria for distinguishing appropriate requirements providers
  2. Criteria for evaluation and acceptance of requirements
  3. Results of analyses against criteria
  4. A set of approved requirements


Subpractices



1. Establish criteria for distinguishing appropriate requirements providers.

2. Establish objective criteria for the evaluation and acceptance of requirements.

Lack of evaluation and acceptance criteria often results in inadequate verification, costly rework, or customer rejection.

 

Examples of evaluation and acceptance criteria include the following:
  • Clearly and properly stated
  • Complete
  • Consistent with one another
  • Uniquely identified
  • Consistent with overall architectural approach and quality attribute priorities (e.g., as defined in the acquisition strategy)
  • Appropriate to implement
  • Verifiable (i.e., testable)
  • Traceable
  • Achievable
  • Tied to business value
  • Identified as a priority for the customer



3. Analyze requirements to ensure that established criteria are met.

4. Reach an understanding of requirements with requirements providers so that project participants can commit to them.