.. vim: set fileencoding=utf-8: .. -*- coding: utf-8 -*- .. +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); | | you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. | | You may obtain a copy of the License at | | | | http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 | | | | Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software | | distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, | | WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. | | See the License for the specific language governing permissions and | | limitations under the License. | | | +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ******************************************************************************* Requirements Documentation ******************************************************************************* This guide covers requirements documentation practices, including Product Requirements Documents (PRDs) and related requirements gathering standards. Product Requirements Document =============================================================================== The Product Requirements Document (PRD) serves as the authoritative source for what a product should do, who it serves, and how success will be measured. It bridges business objectives with technical implementation. Purpose and Benefits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * **Alignment**: Ensure all stakeholders understand product goals and scope. * **Prioritization**: Provide clear criteria for making trade-off decisions. * **Acceptance criteria**: Define measurable success conditions. * **Communication**: Facilitate discussion between business and technical teams. * **Change management**: Track requirement evolution throughout development. PRD Structure ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Use the following structure for product requirements documents: .. code-block:: rst ******************************************************************************* Product Requirements Document ******************************************************************************* Executive Summary =============================================================================== [Brief overview of the product, its purpose, and key benefits. Should be understandable by any stakeholder.] Problem Statement =============================================================================== [Clear description of the problem this product solves. Include: - Who experiences the problem - When and where it occurs - Impact and consequences of the problem - Current workarounds or solutions and their limitations] Goals and Objectives =============================================================================== [Specific, measurable goals the product should achieve. Include: - Primary objectives (must-have outcomes) - Secondary objectives (nice-to-have outcomes) - Success metrics and how they will be measured] Target Users =============================================================================== [Description of intended users including: - User personas or roles - User needs and motivations - Technical proficiency levels - Usage contexts and environments] Functional Requirements =============================================================================== [Detailed description of what the product must do. Organize by feature area or user workflow. For each requirement include: - Requirement ID (for traceability) - Priority (Critical/High/Medium/Low) - User story format when appropriate - Acceptance criteria] Non-Functional Requirements =============================================================================== [Technical and quality requirements including: - Performance requirements (response time, throughput, etc.) - Scalability requirements - Security requirements - Reliability and availability requirements - Usability requirements - Compatibility requirements] Constraints and Assumptions =============================================================================== [Known limitations and assumptions including: - Technical constraints (platforms, technologies, etc.) - Regulatory or compliance constraints - Dependencies on other systems or teams - Assumptions about user behavior or technical environment] Out of Scope =============================================================================== [Explicitly state what will NOT be included to prevent scope creep and manage expectations.] Best Practices ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Requirement Quality** * **Specific**: Requirements should be unambiguous and precise. * **Measurable**: Include quantifiable acceptance criteria where possible. * **Achievable**: Ensure requirements are technically and practically feasible. * **Relevant**: Each requirement should trace back to business objectives. * **Testable**: Requirements should be verifiable through testing or inspection. **User Story Format** When appropriate, express functional requirements as user stories: .. code-block:: text As a [user role], I want [functionality] so that [business value]. Acceptance Criteria: - [Specific condition that must be met] - [Another condition that must be met] - [Edge case or error condition handling] **Prioritization Guidelines** * **Critical**: Product cannot launch without this feature. * **High**: Important for product success but could be delayed if necessary. * **Medium**: Valuable enhancement that improves user experience. * **Low**: Nice-to-have feature that can be considered for future releases. **Traceability** * Assign unique identifiers to requirements (REQ-001, REQ-002, etc.). * Maintain traceability from business objectives through requirements to test cases. * Update requirement status as development progresses. Requirements Management =============================================================================== Change Control ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * **Document changes**: Track all requirement changes with rationale. * **Impact assessment**: Evaluate effects on schedule, resources, and other requirements. * **Stakeholder approval**: Ensure appropriate sign-off for requirement changes. * **Communication**: Notify affected teams of requirement updates. Review and Validation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * **Technical feasibility**: Validate requirements with development teams. * **User validation**: Test requirements with actual users when possible. * **Consistency checking**: Ensure requirements don't conflict with each other. Integration with Development =============================================================================== * **Architecture alignment**: Ensure requirements inform architectural decisions. * **Sprint planning**: Break requirements into implementable user stories. * **Acceptance testing**: Use requirements as the basis for acceptance test criteria. * **Progress tracking**: Monitor development progress against requirements completion.