Written By: Ashley Bias, Solutions Director at Calavista
Are Detailed Requirements Obsolete?
In the Agile-centric development world, “Requirements” tend to get short shrift. “Companies that want detailed requirements are dinosaurs, and their projects are doomed to fail.” But that’s not true. First, no software project – Agile-based or not – can start without any requirements. That’s like pouring a house’s foundation before you’ve decided where you’re going to need plumbing. Yes, requirements on an Agile project are more flexible, but there are still requirements. And of course, having actual requirements doesn’t mean that you can’t still develop the code using Agile methodologies.
Beyond that, there are times when you really do need to design most, or all, of the functionality ahead of time. This may be because the work is going to be split up into independent teams, each working on a piece, and there needs to be clarity about how each piece fits together. Or you might require a very firm budget – for instance, if you want to hire a team to do the work on a fixed fee – so a crystal clear picture of the final product is required. Or if you are going to use the product’s design to generate excitement in the market, or interest amongst investors. Or you just don’t have the experience to start with a few User Stories and dive in. In all of these cases, it may make sense to spend the time upfront getting clarity on the product you want to build.
The Advantages of Strong Requirements
Imagine you’re about to build your dream house. It’s an exciting yet daunting task. Before a single brick is laid, you need a clear plan – a blueprint that outlines every detail, from the foundation to the roof. This blueprint ensures that everyone involved, from architects to general contractors to construction workers – and you – agree on exactly what needs to be done. Without it, your dream house could easily become a nightmare of misaligned walls, misplaced plumbing, and constant headaches. Or it may just end up as a very different house than you’d dreamed about. Similarly, in software development, requirements act as this blueprint. They are vital to the project’s success, guiding every stage of the process from conception to completion.
A software project needs robust requirements to support its functionality and ensure its long-term success. Requirements provide a clear vision of what the software must do and the constraints under which it must operate. They set the expectations for all stakeholders – developers, testers, product managers, and clients – ensuring everyone is on the same page. With clear requirements, teams can avoid misunderstandings that lead to delays, cost overruns, and features that don’t meet user or client needs.
What Kind of Requirements Are There?
Imagine discussing your dream house with your architect. You wouldn’t just say, “I want a house.” You’d specify the number of bedrooms, the style of the kitchen, the number of floors, and whether you want a pool. In software development, we break these specifications down into distinct types of requirements: functional, non-functional, and UI/UX requirements. They need to be defined since they will influence how you approach the development process, affecting every phase from initial design to final deployment.
1. Functional Requirements (aka Business Requirements) describe what the software should do. They include tasks, data manipulation and processing, and other specific functionality that serve user needs. For example, a functional requirement might state that a user should be able to log into a system using an email and password, or that the user can reconcile an account by recording when checks have cleared.
2. Non-Functional Requirements (aka Technical Requirements) outline how the software should perform. They address aspects like security, performance, scalability, and usability. For instance, a non-functional requirement might specify that the user login process should be completed within two seconds, or that the system should be able to support 1,000 simultaneous users with some maximum latency.
3. UI/UX Requirements are often overlooked but are crucial. Think about the aesthetics of your house – the paint color, the layout of the living room, the type of flooring. UI/UX requirements ensure that the software is not only functional but also user-friendly and visually appealing. UX and UI are often commingled, but they are very different. The UX – User Experience – is the way in which the user interacts with the software. How the functionality is organized across pages or tabs, or how a user would engage in a specific task. UI – User Interface – is what those things actually look like. For instance, the UX Architect might decide that an accounting program represents a check as an actual graphic of a physical check, with blanks you fill in. The UI Designer would then design what that screen looks like. A key indicator of a software project’s success is user adoption, which is largely influenced by the quality of the UX. Equally important is the UI, which directly affects how intuitively and efficiently users can interact with the software.
All types of requirements are essential; functional requirements make the software useful, non-functional requirements make the software reliable and performant, and UI/UX requirements enhance usability and design appeal.
How Do We Draft a Blueprint?
Eliciting requirements is like discussing with your architect what you need in your new house – the floorplan, what type of windows, the style of the kitchen, etc. In software development, elicitation involves gathering input from stakeholders, understanding user needs and system requirements, and then defining these needs in a detailed and clear manner.
The process typically follows these four steps:
1. Laying Groundwork: Begin by understanding the full scope of the project and identifying all key stakeholders. It’s like surveying the land and understanding where your property lines are.
2. Blueprint Sketching Sessions: Engage in discovery sessions by conducting interviews, surveys, and observations. This step is like drafting preliminary sketches for a house, where you collect detailed input on what each room should offer and how the structure should function. As when sketching out your house, during this phase you may find you have to revise, or even re-revise, choices you’ve made as the whole design starts to take shape.
3. Blueprint Drafting: Carefully document all the requirements you’ve gathered. This documentation serves as the detailed blueprint, outlining every nook and cranny of the project to ensure clarity and accessibility for everyone involved, from developers to project managers.
4. Blueprint Review: Validate the requirements with all stakeholders to ensure the blueprint accurately reflects their needs and expectations, much like a final walkthrough before construction begins. This step confirms that the project, once built, will meet all specified requirements without costly rework.
What Happens if You Don’t Get Requirements Right?
Failing to establish accurate and comprehensive requirements can lead to software that is the equivalent of a house where the doors don’t quite fit the frames – an operational structure, but frustrating and possibly unusable. Or it might not be functional – for instance, a house with 5 upstairs bedrooms, but just one bathroom – downstairs. Everything fits, but it just doesn’t work for your family. Incorrect or incomplete requirements can result in products that do not meet user expectations or require frequent and costly revisions. Much like a house built on a flawed blueprint, software developed from inadequate requirements is likely to go over budget, miss deadlines, and fail to meet its objectives.
Establishing clear and comprehensive requirements is crucial in software development. They ensure that the final product functions as intended and meets the needs of the users and stakeholders. Just as a well-prepared blueprint leads to a sturdy and satisfying home, well-crafted requirements lead to successful software projects. By taking the time to properly gather and document these requirements, Calavista lays the groundwork for a project that is efficient, effective, and, ultimately, successful.
For more insights on the importance of requirements, the requirements gathering process or assistance in writing requirements for your software projects, reach out to us at info@calavista.com.
