How do you define your software requirements before starting the vendor selection process?

1 Identify your business goals

The first step is to understand why you need a new software and what you want to achieve with it. What are the main problems or challenges that you are trying to solve or improve? What are the expected outcomes and benefits of implementing the software? How will you measure the success of the software? These questions will help you align your software requirements with your business goals and priorities.

2 Gather input from stakeholders

The next step is to involve the relevant stakeholders in the software requirements definition process. Stakeholders are the people who will use, manage, or be affected by the software, such as employees, customers, partners, or suppliers. You need to collect their feedback, opinions, and expectations about the software, as well as their pain points, needs, and preferences. You can use various methods to gather input from stakeholders, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or workshops.

3 Categorize your requirements

Organizing your software requirements into different categories based on their importance, urgency, and complexity is the third step. A simple framework like the MoSCoW method can be used to categorize the requirements: must-have, which are essential and non-negotiable; should-have, which are important and can be prioritized or postponed; could-have, which are nice-to-have and can be considered or discarded; and won't have, which are irrelevant or unnecessary and should be excluded or deferred. This approach will help you determine the scope of the project and ensure that all essential requirements are met.

4 Document your requirements

The fourth step is to document your software requirements in a clear, concise, and consistent manner. You need to write down the details of each requirement, such as the name, description, category, priority, source, acceptance criteria, and dependencies. You can use various tools and formats to document your software requirements, such as spreadsheets, diagrams, user stories, or use cases.

5 Validate and verify your requirements

The final step is to check and confirm that your software requirements are accurate, complete, and feasible. You need to validate your requirements with your stakeholders to ensure that they reflect their needs and expectations. You also need to verify your requirements with your technical team or experts to ensure that they are realistic and achievable. You can use various techniques to validate and verify your software requirements, such as reviews, walkthroughs, prototyping, or testing.

6 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?