Don't Skirt Technical Requirements

[ Login/Subscribe ]

Features

Departments

PPM

Tools

Executive

Resources

About Us

Home > Departments > Methods & Means

Don't Skirt Technical Requirements
Luc K. Richard (March 24, 2005)

On software projects, nonfunctional technical requirements such as performance, security and reliability must be considered throughout the development lifecycle, regardless of the methodology you follow. Here is a primer on defining these requirements, and best practices for avoiding some common pitfalls.

Whether you gather them at the outset of your software development project or wait to deal with them at the bitter end, sooner or later you will be forced to adhere to a set of technical requirements, also known as software quality attributes or nonfunctional requirements. While it is arguably not imperative that you document such requirements, you must consider them when designing your system. Otherwise, in due course, one of your customers will reject your system because it doesn’t meet their expectations in terms of performance, security or reliability.

Independent of the development process you follow, nonfunctional technical requirements such as performance, security and reliability should be considered throughout the software lifecycle. Some organizations capture all of the requirements upfront. Others follow a more iterative approach, putting together a prototype, demonstrating it to the customers, gathering feedback and gradually improving the functionality of their system.

In the telecommunications industry, for example, systems have extremely rigid criteria in terms of reliability, which is defined as "the extent to which the system will execute without failure for a specific period of time." While customers do not generally specify this constraint during a typical requirements gathering session, they fully expect that the system will meet a "5-9 reliability" level.

Please login/register to read the entire article.

Sponsored Announcements and Special Offers

Project Management Software That Breaks the Mold - Is your team is struggling under the weight of outdated schedules, multiple spreadsheets, and mountains of email? Get organized, get visibility, and save up to 3 hours a day with LiquidPlanner. Scheduling has never been easier with drag-n-drop prioritization that fits the way YOUR team works. Free for 30 days.

Resource Planning Summit, Sept. 19-21, 2010, La Jolla, CA - Resource Planning is HOT today! Opening Keynoter Mike Hanford, Research Director at Gartner, will describe why, and what firms must do about it. Nine industry speakers will describe the startling results they have achieved. If you have anything to do with resource management, register NOW!

ProjectWorld® & World Congress for Business Analysts® is the premier conference for advancing collaboration through practice. The high level content cannot be found at any other industry event because it stretches far beyond the fundamentals to provide leadership, strategy and enterprise wide information - exactly what you need to be more valuable to yourself and your organization.

Are you ready to gain the highest recognition for a BA and apply the best practices defined in the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge®? Let us help you prepare for Certified Business Analysis Professional® certification with our CBAP® Exam Prep Course. We also provide CBAP® Application Workshops (free webinars) to help you successfully get approved for the CBAP® application.

Are your Business Analysis Skills Current? Business analysis is not just about IT requirements anymore. Organizations are looking for a new breed of professionals to bridge the business and technology gap with value-centric solutions. Develop the fundamental skills and best practices you need to stay ahead of changes in your field with our business analysis training offerings.

@task
BAM! BA Newsletter
BAMentor
IIL
Keller Graduate School
LiquidPlanner
Management Concepts
Microsoft
PM War Stories
PPM Executive Newsletter
Resource Plan Summit '10
RMC Project Mgmt
Stanford University
Walden University

September 2010:

What are the main reasons that projects fall behind schedule?