Characteristics of a Good MRD - adapted from Kar/Bailey (1)

Necessary . The stated requirement is an essential capability, physical characteristic, or quality factor of the product or process. If it is removed or deleted, a deficiency will exist, which cannot be fulfilled by other capabilities of the product or process.

Concise ( minimal , understandable ). The requirement statement includes only one requirement stating what must be done and only what must be done, stated simply and clearly. It is easy to read and understand.

Design free. The requirement states what is required, not how the requirement should be met. A requirement statement should not reflect a design or implementation nor should it describe an operation. However, the treatment of interface requirements is generally an exception.

Attainable (achievable or feasible). The stated requirement can be achieved by one or more developed system concepts at a definable cost. This implies that at least a high level conceptual design has been completed and cost tradeoff studies have been conducted.

Complete (standalone). The stated requirement is complete and does not need further amplification. The stated requirement will provide sufficient capability.

Consistent. The stated requirement does not contradict other requirements. It is not a duplicate of another requirement. The same term is used for the same item in all requirements.

Unambiguous. Each requirement must have one and only one interpretation. Language used in the statement must not leave a doubt in the reader's mind as to the intended descriptive or numeric value.

Verifiable. The stated requirement is not vague or general but is quantified in a manner that can be verified through inspection, analysis, demonstration or test.

The MRD may include - adapted from 280Group (2)

• Product Goals
• Product Delivery Date Assumptions - Window of Opportunity
• Project Goals
• Schedule
• Costs & Staffing
• Resources & Facilities
• Target Market(s) and customer(s)
• Defining Characteristics
• Market Size and Growth Rates
• Overall Release Theme and Positioning
• Positioning Statement
• Features and Benefits
• Competitive Environment
  • Key Product Features to Match
  • Areas of Differentiation
• Use Model
  • Examples of use in real world
  • Top tasks to be performed with the product
• Customer Needs and Corresponding Features
• Required Features (will not ship without)
• Nice-to-have and Future Features
• System and technical requirements
• Client Hardware & Software
• Interface mechanisms
• Regulatory compliance
• Production and support features
• Testing requirements
• Production Requirements
• Assembly & Test
• Packaging & Service
• Quality and Reliability Demands
• Performance
• Security
• Ancillary Material Requirements
• User Documentation
• Installation & Test Instructions
• Channel, Sales and Business development requirements

(1) "Characteristics of Good Requirements" by Pradip Kar and Michelle Bailey, given at the 6th INCOSE Symposium. Available at http://www.complianceautomation.com

(2) http://www.280group.com/mrdsamplemarketrequirements.htm