How do you define software requirements for vendors?

1 Identify stakeholders

The first step is to identify the stakeholders who will be involved in or affected by the software project. Stakeholders can include end-users, managers, executives, IT staff, customers, suppliers, regulators, and others. You need to consult with them to understand their goals, pain points, preferences, and constraints. You can use various methods to gather their input, such as interviews, surveys, workshops, focus groups, and observation. By involving stakeholders early and often, you can ensure that your software requirements reflect their needs and expectations, and gain their support and buy-in.

2 Define scope and objectives

The next step is to define the scope and objectives of the software project. The scope defines the boundaries and limitations of the project, such as what features and functions are included or excluded, what resources and budget are available, and what timeline and milestones are expected. The objectives define the desired outcomes and benefits of the project, such as what problems the software should solve, what value it should deliver, and how it should align with the organizational strategy and vision. You can use tools such as SMART goals, scope statements, and business cases to document and communicate your scope and objectives.

3 Prioritize requirements

The third step is to prioritize the software requirements based on their importance and urgency. Not all requirements are equally critical or feasible, so you need to rank them according to their impact and dependency. You can use various criteria and techniques to prioritize requirements, such as business value, customer satisfaction, risk, cost, complexity, and dependency. You can also use frameworks such as MoSCoW (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won't have) or Kano (Basic, Performance, Excitement) to categorize requirements into different levels of priority. By prioritizing requirements, you can focus on the most essential and valuable features and functions, and avoid scope creep and waste.

4 Specify requirements

The fourth step is to specify the software requirements in a clear and concise manner. Software requirements can be classified into functional and non-functional requirements. Functional requirements describe what the software should do, such as the features, functions, processes, and data that the software should provide or support. Non-functional requirements describe how the software should perform, such as the quality, reliability, usability, security, scalability, and compatibility of the software. You can use various formats and tools to specify requirements, such as user stories, use cases, scenarios, diagrams, models, and prototypes. You should also use standard terminology, avoid ambiguity, and provide examples and acceptance criteria.

5 Validate requirements

The fifth step is to validate the software requirements to ensure that they are correct, complete, consistent, and feasible. You need to verify that the requirements meet the stakeholder needs and expectations, and that they are aligned with the scope and objectives of the project. You also need to check that the requirements are clear, accurate, and testable, and that they do not conflict or overlap with each other. You can use various methods to validate requirements, such as reviews, inspections, walkthroughs, testing, and feedback. By validating requirements, you can avoid errors, gaps, and misunderstandings, and ensure that the software meets the quality standards and customer requirements.

6 Manage requirements

The final step is to manage the software requirements throughout the software project lifecycle. Software requirements are not static, but dynamic and evolving, so you need to monitor and control them to accommodate changes and updates. You need to establish a process and a system to manage requirements, such as how to document, store, track, trace, communicate, and change requirements. You also need to assign roles and responsibilities, and define rules and guidelines, for managing requirements. By managing requirements, you can ensure that the software requirements are up-to-date, relevant, and consistent, and that they reflect the current and future needs of the stakeholders and the project.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?