Obtain an Understanding of Requirements

As the project matures and requirements are derived, all activities or disciplines will receive requirements. To avoid requirements creep, criteria are established to designate appropriate channels, or official sources, from which to receive requirements. The receiving activities conduct analyses of the requirements with the requirements provider to ensure that a compatible, shared understanding is reached on the meaning of the requirements. The result of this analysis and dialog is an agreed-to set of requirements.

• Establish criteria for distinguishing appropriate requirements providers.
• Establish objective criteria for the acceptance of requirements. Lack of acceptance criteria often results in inadequate verification, costly rework, or customer rejection. [ Examples of acceptance criteria include:
  • Clearly and properly stated
  • Complete
  • Consistent with each other
  • Uniquely identified
  • Appropriate to implement
  • Verifiable (testable)
  • Traceable
• Analyze requirements to ensure that the established criteria are met.
• Reach an understanding of the requirements with the requirements provider so the project participants can commit to them.