Requirements Document Template

Intro:

The requirements phase of product development defines the destination — where we want to go. Without a clear goal, it will be hard to decide on the path to achieve the goal.

In addition, the requirements phase is where all the engineering compromises are made — cost vs. features, development budget vs. COGS, etc.

This is the tool we use to guide this phase of product development.

Description:

Without a good written Requirements Document (RD), do you really know where you are going? Are you certain your team is all on the same page, or do they each have a different picture in their minds on exactly what the new product will be? A clear written RD which is discussed and debated can go a long way to achieving a common understanding of the goal.

A good RD is an essential first step in any product development project as it defines “done”.  That is, when we have built a prototype from the drawing set, and we test it to see that it meets the requirements enumerated in the Requirements Document, then we have reached our goal.

Without doing the requirements document work, you are leaving it to chance that the team will all have the same understanding of the goal and that each will make a common set of engineering compromises that will meet the product market fit.

What it is:

This is the document where we record the product requirements: functional, performance, cost, etc.

Why it is Important:

Without doing the work of generating the requirements, the team will likely not be on the same page, and the wrong engineering compromises will be made.

What Problem Does it Solve:

It is not uncommon for engineering teams to all be working on their own version of “The Product”.

When to Use it:

This tool should be used after Market Validation and before Conceptual Design.

How Can FinishLinePDS Help:

Requirements work requires a large diverse team. For small companies, FinishLinePDS can augment their team.