Home > Ask the Software Quality Experts > Software Requirements Gathering, Analysis, Quality and Testing Questions & Answers > What are requirements types?
Ask The Software Quality Expert: Questions & Answers
EMAIL THIS

What are requirements types?

>
QUESTION:
What are requirement types?


RELATED CONTENT
Software Requirements Gathering, Analysis, Quality and Testing
Functional vs. non-functional requirements, what is the difference?
Which requirements have the greatest effect on quality in software development?
How to write an SRS document for three different databases
How to write a Software Requirements Specification (SRS) document
Problems caused by skipping analysis stage of SDLC
Software development life cycle phases, iterations, explained step by step
Waterfall versus iterative development misconceptions
Differentiating between Functional and Nonfunctional Requirements
Writing a software requirements specification (SRS) for a portal app
Should QA check changes from outside the requirements document?

Software requirements techniques (Prototyping, Storyboards, Modeling, State transitions)
Waters Corp. meets rigorous compliance demands with requirements management
Which requirements have the greatest effect on quality in software development?
Requirements practices evolving, but organizations still struggle
Why business analysts are application development key players today
Defining report requirements with use cases
When it comes to requirements, what is 'just enough'?
How requirements use cases facilitate the SDLC
GatherSpace beefs up cloud-based requirements management
Software development life cycle phases, iterations, explained step by step
How to deliver, implement testable software requirements

RELATED GLOSSARY TERMS
Terms from Whatis.com − the technology online dictionary
requirements analysis  (SearchSoftwareQuality.com)

RELATED RESOURCES
2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems
Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts
Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary


Roxanne Miller EXPERT RESPONSE FROM: Roxanne Miller

Pose a Question
Other Software Quality Categories
Meet all Software Quality Experts
Become an Expert for this site
ANSWERED January 2008:
Requirements types are logical groupings of requirements by common functions, features and attributes. There are four requirement types within three distinct requirement levels:

  • (A) Business Requirements Level
    (1) Business Requirement Type. The business requirement is written from the Sponsor's point-of-view. It defines the objective of the project (goal) and the measurable business benefits for doing the project. The following sentence format is used to represent the business requirement and helps to increase consistency across project definitions:
    "The purpose of the [project name] is to [project goal -- that is, what is the team expected to implement or deliver] so that [measurable business benefit(s) -- the sponsor's goal]."


  • (B) User Requirements Level
    (2) User Requirement Type. The user requirements are written from the user's point-of-view. User requirements define the information or material that is input into the business process, and the expected information or material as outcome from interacting with the business process (system), specific to accomplish the user's business goal. The following sentence format is used to represent the user requirement:
    "The [user role] shall [describe the interaction (inputs and outputs of information or materials) with the system to satisfy the user's business goal.]" or "The [user role] shall provide (input)/ receive (output.)"


  • (C) System Requirements Level
    (3) Functional Requirement Type. The functional requirements define what the system must do to process the user inputs (information or material) and provide the user with their desired outputs (information or material). Processing the inputs includes storing the inputs for use in calculations or for retrieval by the user at a later time, editing the inputs to ensure accuracy, proper handling of erroneous inputs, and using the inputs to perform calculations necessary for providing expected outputs. The following sentence format is used to represent the functional requirement:
    "The [specific system domain] shall [describe what the system does to process the user inputs and provide the expected user outputs]." Or "The [specific system domain/business process] shall (do) when (event/condition)."
    (4) Nonfunctional Requirement Type. The nonfunctional requirements define the attributes of the user and the system environment. Nonfunctional requirements identify standards, for example, business rules, that the system must conform to and attributes that refine the system's functionality regarding use. Because of the standards and attributes that must be applied, nonfunctional requirements often appear to be limitations for designing an optimal solution. Nonfunctional requirements are also at the System level in the requirements hierarchy and follow a similar sentence format for representation as the functional requirements:
    "The [specific system domain] shall [describe the standards or attributes that the system must conform to]."



  • Search and Browse the Expert Answer Center
    Search and browse more than 25,000 question and answer pairs from more than 250 TechTarget industry experts.
    Browse our Expert Advice



    Software Quality - Software Maintenance, Software Requirements, Software Standards
    About Us  |  Contact Us  |  For Advertisers  |  For Business Partners  |  Site Index  |  RSS
    SEARCH 
    TechTarget provides technology professionals with the information they need to perform their jobs - from developing strategy, to making cost-effective purchase decisions and managing their organizations' technology projects - with its network of technology-specific websites, events and online magazines.

    TechTarget Corporate Web Site  |  Media Kits  |  Site Map




    All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2006 - 2010, TechTarget | Read our Privacy Policy
      TechTarget - The IT Media ROI Experts