Requirements Definition

What is the Requirements Definition;

 

The Requirements Definition is a fundamental  document for all parties. While this document may only be one of a number depending on the size of the project it represents the clients requirements based on meeting's discussions, the scope of the project, strategic directions and many other input factures.

All the collected information including the historic and current situation are documented to build an over all picture. The requirements are then added  along with the overall process, and methodology by which the deliverables will meet.

Depending on the size of the project key factors, such as scope, management, requirements, pilot or proto-type, risk, acceptance, training, implementation and support may form part of one or many documents.

 

Why do I need a Requirements Definition

Cant I just get a quote and then proceed ?

In short  yes you can, no one is going to suggest you need all of the above to purchase some hardware or software. But the bigger the project and the more complex, the more important these become. It is especially important if you building or designing something, and utilizing other resources, who may not be able to read your mind or know company idiosyncrasies. You may simply need a means to get to a solution, and the best way to achieve a business solution is to define the current situation where it fails, what you expect, what's in the future, then develop a method of getting there.

Listed below are some key headings of a requirements definition. To those who are perhaps more experience you may recognize items are missing, because these would typically be included in other documents, whether they be Project Plans, Implementation Plans or Acceptance plans.

Document Purpose,

•  Intended Audience,

• Terms of Reference,

Executive Summary,

Current Situation,

• Context Diagrams,

• Business Environment,

• System Environment,

Business Requirements,

• Drivers

• Objectives,

Systems Requirements

• Objectives

• Hardware Requirements

• Operating System Requirements

• Application Requirements

• Infrastructure Requirements

Documentation

Implementation

Training

Support

What will an excellent Project Manager do for you

An excellent Project Manager will make this process as seamless and as cost effective as possible, and ensure it does not become an overhead or a revenue generation scheme with little client benefit. As an excellent Project Manager you would expect the level of documentation, and management of this process would be proportional the overall cost of the project.

The content of the document should provide the full picture for the targeted audience and an overview for management. It should cover all the necessary technical information to such a level that it can not be misconstrued, and yet can be clearly understood by its targeted audience.

It should not include poetic licence from marketing or sales, vagaries, questions, technical information which is not clearly required, or postulate alternatives.

It should reference or include the required scope and resources responsibilities, such that it is clear who is doing what and where there are overlaps or multiple organizations ensure there are no gaps in service, leading to scope creep, added costs, and project risks

The document should reference or include the deliverables and expected payment requirements.

Risk and contingency must be accounted for, and the key element is in assessment of risk, and cost of contingencies.

The document must be reviewed by all parties and modified until such time as it correctly and accurately reflects the requirements, where by all parties should then sign the document.

13/05/2002 04:39:08 PM