Requirements Development Process
In Step 6 “Manage Requirements”, the requirements have been accepted and a baseline is established by the stakeholders. Any changes to the requirements are controlled using a Configuration Management (CM) process. Managing requirements is a continuous process and is conducted throughout a system’s life cycle and confirmed at each technical review. The purpose is to assure that the requirements continue to meet the needs and expectations of its customers and stakeholders.
Visit: Good Requirements Management Good Practices
Documenting
Requirements should be documented throughout a program from concept development thru disposal. Requirements in the DoD are documented and controlled in the:
- Initial Capabilities Document (ICD)
- Capability Development Document (CDD)
- Capability Production Document (CPD)
- Weapons System Specification (WSS)
Requirements should be maintained in a relational database, numbering standards, or other methods that show relationships. There are a number of relational databases on the market that systems engineers can use that include:
Tracing
DoD Requirements Management provides traceability back to user-defined capabilities documented in the Initial Capabilities Document (ICD), Capability Development Document (CDD), and Capability Production Document (CPD). A good requirements management system should allow for traceability from the lowest level component in the Weapons System Specification (WSS) all the way back to the ICD. Relational databases are a good tool in doing this. The Program Manager (PM) and Chief Systems Engineer should institute a Requirements Management process to do the following:
- Maintain the traceability of all requirements from capabilities needs through design and test,
- Document all changes to those requirements, and
- Record the rationale for those changes
Requirements Development Steps
- Overview: Requirements Development Process
- Step 1: Gather & Develop Requirements
- Step 2: Write & Document Requirements
- Step 3: Check Completeness
- Step 4: Analyze, Refine & Decompose Requirements
- Step 5: Verify & Validate Requirements
- Step 6: Manage Requirements
AcqNotes Tutorials
AcqLinks and References:
- Defense Acquisition Guidebook (DAG) – Chapter 4
- Requirements Development Checklist
- DAU Systems Engineering Fundamentals Guide
- Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) Systems Engineering Primer & Handbook
- NASA Systems Engineering Handbook (large 9M file)
- EIA-632 “Processes for Engineering a System” – 7 Jan 99
- White Paper: Writing a Requirements Document “For Multimedia and Software Projects” by Rachel S. Smith
- White Paper: Requirements Development, Verification, and Validation Famous Failures by Bahill & Henderson
Updated: 4/13/2021