Master Requirements Management: Steps, Tips & More

Are you tired of juggling multiple tasks and struggling to meet deadlines? Are you running too many revisions or change requests?

It's time to take control by using effective requirements management.

Requirements are essential criteria, specifications, and expectations defining a project or product's delivery. They are the single source of truth that define the scope of your project. Therefore, the management of these requirements influences the results of the project.

In this guide, we'll dive into the world of requirements management. We'll show you the power of managing requirements and explore a step-by-step process. We'll go over practical strategies and actionable tips anyone can use.

We’ll also introduce Motion—an AI-driven PM tool that’s changing how pros handle projects.

Let's dive right into the world of requirements management.

What are requirements in project management?

Requirements in projects are the essential parameters that define the project’s deliverables. They are the building blocks that shape the entire project lifecycle, from planning to implementation.

‎Clear requirements should be gathered before and throughout a project lifecycle. The key is to focus on accurate, feasible, testable, necessary, and specific requirements for your project.

With accurate requirements, the project team understands what's necessary. The team can also work more efficiently, reducing errors and the need for rework.

Feasible requirements consider the available resources, time, and budget. This way, the team can plan for and use resources effectively.

Each requirement should be verifiable through testing or other evaluation methods. Testable requirements help ensure that the final deliverables meet the desired criteria.

Necessary requirements contribute to the project's goals and objectives. This helps when prioritizing tasks and allocating resources.

Specific requirements are the finer details that outline functionality. It’s important that these are defined in detail.

Let's consider an example.

Imagine you're leading a website development project. One project requirement is to implement a user registration feature.

• Accurate requirements specify the mandatory fields for registration.
• Feasible requirements would consider the capabilities of the team and the project timeline.
• Testable requirements define the criteria for validating functionality and security.
• Necessary requirements would focus on essential registration features, excluding unnecessary elements.
• Specific requirements describe the expected user interface and user experience in detail.

Requirements vs. scope

Requirements and scope go together but mean different things.

Requirements refer to the parameters a project or product must meet. Scope, on the other hand, defines the overall boundaries and extent of the project. The scope dictates what’ll be included (and excluded) in the project.

In simpler terms, requirements focus on the specific details of what needs to be done. Scope provides a broader view of the project’s boundaries and objectives. If the scope is the building blueprint, then the requirements are the detailed building plans.

What is requirements management?

Requirements management is the process of capturing, organizing, and maintaining project requirements.

Requirements management helps keep the project on track by managing all the necessary details for success. It involves

• Clear communication among team members and stakeholders
• Gathering and evaluating requirements
• Solid documentation and tracking
• Verification and validation of requirements
• A change control process for when requirements need to be adapted

Here’s an example of successful requirements management in action:

Imagine a software development company that embarks on a mobile app development project for a client. The team engages with the client to gather requirements. ‌They follow a rigorous requirements management process and use tools like Motion to document and track ‌requirements throughout the project lifecycle. As a result, the project is on time, within budget, and meets the client's requirements.

In Agile project management, requirements management becomes even more crucial. Agile projects often use user stories, which capture the needs of users in a concise format. By managing these requirements, Agile teams can better execute and deliver value.

Why is it important to manage requirements?

Managing requirements addresses many common challenges in a project. Let's explore some common ones:

• Throughout a project, requirements may evolve due to evolving business needs or new insights. These changes can cause confusion, delays, and rework without proper management.
• Effective stakeholder cooperation is another challenge. Projects involve various stakeholders with different perspectives and expectations. Managing requirements ensures their perspectives are met.
• Without requirements management, conflicting priorities can arise. Often this can lead to resource waste and inefficient workflows.
• Inadequate requirements management can result in documentation and clarity issues. Unclear or ambiguous requirements lead to misunderstandings, errors, and unnecessary rework.

Now, let's look at the potential benefits of using effective requirements management practices:

• Clear direction
• Helps build better documentation
• Minimizes miscommunication
• Better project scope control
• Efficient resource allocation
• Stakeholder satisfaction
• Mitigates risks

Two types of requirements

While there may be others, requirements typically fall under the functional or the non-functional category. Let's take a closer look at each.

‎Functional requirements

Functional requirements are the building blocks that define what the system should do or achieve. They outline specific functionalities, features, and actions that the project needs to deliver.

These requirements serve as a blueprint for developers and project managers. They guide them in creating a system that meets user needs and project objectives.

Imagine you are building a website where users can buy products online. A few functional requirements for this project could be:

• Capturing client information
• Generating invoices
• Managing inventory
• Displaying product information
• Setting up a shopping cart
• Processing payments
• Generating order confirmations

Each of these requirements contributes to the overall functionality of the system.

Non-functional requirements

Non-functional requirements describe how the system should perform and what that entails. These requirements focus on performance, security, usability, reliability, and maintainability.

Let's consider the website again and how some non-functional requirements would look.

• The performance requirements would specify the system's speed and responsiveness.
• Security requirements would look at safeguarding the system against unauthorized access.
• Usability requirements would focus on creating an intuitive and user-friendly interface.
• Reliability requirements would look at removing errors or crashes.
• Maintainability requirements address the ease of system updates, maintenance, and bug fixes.

Agile requirements management

Since Agile methods focus on flexibility (and delivering value), requirements management takes a dynamic and iterative approach. Instead of defining all requirements upfront, Agile projects evolve and adapt as new information emerges.

At the heart of Agile requirements management are user stories.

User stories capture the needs and expectations of users or customers in a concise format. They follow a simple structure: “As a [user], I want [goal], so that [benefit].” This helps the development team understand and prioritize the most valuable features.

User stories focus on delivering users' core needs. This approach allows for faster time to market, as value is delivered early and often.

Agile also encourages continuous feedback loops through iteration. User stories are refined and adjusted based on real-world changes and user feedback.

Implement requirements management in 4 steps

Implementing a solid requirements management strategy involves a disciplined, structured approach. Let’s dissect each step.

Step 1: Elicitation and stakeholder analyses

Engaging stakeholders to gauge their needs is vital for proper requirements management. You need to make sure their expectations are documented and clearly understood.

‎Here are some techniques to elicit requirements:

• Interviews let you have one-on-one discussions with stakeholders to understand their needs better.
• Surveys help collect input from a larger group and gather valuable insights.
• Workshops bring stakeholders together for collaborative discussions and idea-sharing.

When eliciting requirements, you should:

• Ask the right questions. Be specific and detailed.
• Actively listen, which means listening to understand.
• Dig deep into requirements. Don't stop at the tip of the iceberg, but dig to see what lies under the water.
• And, finally, document the requirements you gather, including all the details you've elicited (see the next step).

Step 2: Requirements documentation

Comprehensive, clear documentation is crucial in requirements management. It provides clarity, direction, and a means for assessing risks and measuring results. It also guarantees that the (requirements) information is organized, accessible, and understood.

Here are three important documents used for requirements management:

1. Requirement specification: these documents outline the detailed requirements of the product or service you’re building, including functional and non-functional requirements. This document serves as a reference for all stakeholders, providing a clear picture of what the final product should look like and do.
2. Use case: describe how users will interact with the system and the expected outcomes. Use cases outline various scenarios of a requirement, helping to validate and refine them.
3. Business Requirements Document (BRD): captures the high-level objectives, scope, constraints, and (most important) requirements of a project. It serves as a foundation for the entire project and will guide you in decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.
4. Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM): a matrix that ties off the requirements to other documents and is used to indicate what stage (in progress, tested, done) they are in.

Step 3: Verification and validation

Verifying and validating requirements ensures the project meets its goals and engages stakeholders. This step involves checking that requirements are accurate, complete, and consistent. Using effective verification and validation techniques also helps boost confidence in the requirements and project itself.

Some techniques to verify requirements are:

• Reviews are quick examinations of the documents for errors
• Inspections involve a detailed examination of the requirements to ensure they meet standards
• Walkthroughs engage stakeholders for feedback and clarity

For validation, you can try:

• Prototyping: build a simplified version of the system (for feedback)
• Simulation: use computer models to gauge system performance
• User acceptance testing: involves real users testing the system to ensure it meets their needs

Step 4: Change control & requirements monitoring

Change control is a vital aspect of requirements management. It involves managing and controlling any changes to the requirements that may arise during the project. It’s a structured approach to document, review, and approve changes in requirements.

‎A great method for managing requirement changes is in the business requirements document (BRD).

The BRD is a central reference document that captures and documents all the project requirements (and changes over time). It provides a clear overview of the requirements and is a baseline for managing changes.

For example, suppose a requirement change is proposed. You can use the BRD to document and evaluate the impact of the proposed change, including feasibility, risks, and resource implications.

Using the BRD to track and manage changes will help you avoid scope creep.

And remember, requirements management is a continuous process. Staying on top of requirements will help you make sure that your project stays on track.

To help you stay on track, consider using a project management tool. Not only can a project management tool track requirements, but it can also track milestones, deliverables, and timelines.

Use Motion for your requirements management

Motion is a powerful tool that can help you manage project requirements.

One of the key features of Motion are the (intuitive) task cards. With them, project and product managers can capture and document requirements directly in the app.

‎Another valuable feature of Motion lies in its collaboration capabilities. With real-time collaboration, team members can follow up with each other, ask questions, and share requirements documentation, all in one place.

Stay on top of your requirements with Motion.

Sign up for a 7-day free trial.