Session 3.6 - Requirements Process & Quality
Chapter 6: Defining the Requirements | Duration: 1 hr
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
- Follow a lightweight requirements process suitable for TSPi
- Facilitate agreement on scope with the instructor/user
- Apply reviews to improve requirement quality
- Control requirement changes across cycles
Introduction
Even with provided need statements, teams must run a requirements process: understand, refine, agree, and control change. Chapter 6 notes that while full elicitation may not be needed, the discipline still applies.
Requirements Process (Lightweight)
Understand Need
Review need statement; identify assumptions and unknowns.
Scope & Boundaries
Define what is in/out; decide cycle allocations.
Draft Requirements
Functional and non-functional; interfaces; constraints.
Review & Agree
Team + instructor review; resolve ambiguities; baseline.
Iterate
Refine in later cycles as data/feedback arrives.
Achieving Agreement
Objective: reach a common understanding with the user/instructor on what will be built. Use walkthroughs, examples, and scope statements to align.
Verification & Reviews
Review Practices
- Team inspections of requirements (per TSPi inspection discipline).
- Check for clarity, testability, consistency, and priority.
- Log defects and track fixes; re-inspect if changes are significant.
Handling Changes
Change is inevitable—control it:
- Baseline the SRS; log requested changes with rationale.
- Estimate impact before accepting; adjust plan/cycles accordingly.
- Communicate changes in weekly meeting and project notebook.
Summary
- Follow a lightweight requirements process: understand, scope, draft, review, agree, iterate.
- Agreement with the instructor/user is essential before planning and design.
- Inspections improve requirement quality; log and fix defects early.
- Control changes with baselines, impact analysis, and transparent communication.