Requirements Specification

Framework for writing complete, measurable, and actionable requirements documents.

Core Principles

1. Completeness first — All 8 dimensions must be covered; none optional
2. Measurable — Every objective and acceptance criterion must be quantifiable
3. Clear and unambiguous — Developers, testers, and product managers must reach the same understanding
4. Risk-forward — Identify risks early with mitigation plans

The 8 Dimensions

1. Background (15%)

What to include:

• Business context — Why this requirement exists; what problem it solves
• User scenario — Who encounters what problem in which situation
• Data support — Metrics that demonstrate problem severity or opportunity size
• Strategic alignment — How this connects to team/org/company goals

Checklist:

• [ ] Explains "why" not just "what"
• [ ] Backed by concrete data or facts
• [ ] Identifies target user group
• [ ] Links to higher-level objectives

2. Objectives (20%)

What to include:

• Core objective — One sentence summarizing the desired outcome
• SMART criteria:
• Specific — Clear and unambiguous
• Measurable — Has quantifiable metrics
• Achievable — Feasible within resource and time constraints
• Relevant — Directly addresses the background problem
• Time-bound — Has a clear deadline
• Priority ranking — Label must-have vs. nice-to-have

Checklist:

• [ ] Each objective follows SMART criteria
• [ ] Includes quantified targets (e.g., "reduce rejection rate from 30% to 20%")
• [ ] Objectives logically connect to background
• [ ] Distinguishes between must-achieve and stretch goals

3. Scope (20%)

What to include:

• In Scope — Explicit list of features/modules covered by this requirement
• Out of Scope — Explicitly excluded items to prevent scope creep
• User stories — Format: "As a [user], I want [action], so that [benefit]"
• Feature list — Structured feature list with priority labels (P0/P1/P2)
• Boundary conditions — Edge cases and exception handling scope

Checklist:

• [ ] Clear boundary between what is and isn't included
• [ ] Every feature has a priority label
• [ ] Covers both happy path and exception flows
• [ ] Specifies platform coverage (Web, mobile, mini-program, etc.)

4. Detailed Features & Flows (20%)

What to include:

• Flow diagrams — Mermaid or flowchart for key business processes
• Feature descriptions — Input, processing, output for each feature
• Change highlights — Diff against existing system; mark changes clearly
• Test focus points — Scenarios and edge cases that need special testing attention

Checklist:

• [ ] Flow diagram or sequence diagram exists
• [ ] Changes are clearly marked/highlighted
• [ ] Test focus points are documented
• [ ] Exception flows are covered

5. Non-Functional Requirements (5%)

What to include:

• Performance — Response time, concurrency, throughput targets
• Operations confirmation — Operations team sign-off and conclusions
• Customer support SOP — Standard operating procedures for support team

Checklist:

• [ ] Operations team has confirmed requirements
• [ ] Customer support SOP is documented
• [ ] Performance metrics are specified

6. Data Tracking (10%)

What to include:

• Tracking plan — Event names, trigger conditions, parameter definitions
• Dashboard metrics — Core metrics to monitor and dashboard design
• Data validation — How to verify tracking data accuracy

Checklist:

• [ ] Complete tracking plan exists
• [ ] Dashboard metrics are defined
• [ ] Data validation approach is specified

7. Acceptance Criteria (5%)

What to include:

• Functional acceptance — Acceptance conditions per feature
• Acceptance scenarios — Specific pre-launch test scenarios
• Owner — Person responsible for acceptance sign-off
• Post-launch tracking — Tracking cadence and metrics

Checklist:

• [ ] Every feature has corresponding acceptance conditions
• [ ] Criteria are quantifiable and verifiable
• [ ] Post-launch tracking plan exists

8. Risk Assessment (5%)

What to include:

• System risks — Technical implementation, stability concerns
• Reputation risks — User feedback, PR concerns
• Business risks — Revenue impact, operational disruption
• Mitigation plans — Response strategy and contingency plan per risk

Checklist:

• [ ] Key risks are identified
• [ ] Each risk has a mitigation plan
• [ ] Risk owner is assigned

Workflow

Step 1: Gather Information

Ask the user:

• Business background and goals
• Target users and scenarios
• Constraints (timeline, resources, technical)
• Existing reference docs or designs

Step 2: Build the Document

Guide the user through each of the 8 dimensions. For missing information, ask targeted questions or propose reasonable defaults.

Step 3: Quality Check

After drafting, review against each dimension's checklist. Flag gaps and suggest improvements.

Step 4: Score Estimate

Rate the document quality:

• Excellent (8.0+) — All dimensions complete and high quality
• Good (6.0-7.9) — Core dimensions complete, minor items need polish
• Acceptable (4.0-5.9) — Main dimensions covered, several items need improvement
• Needs Work (<4.0) — Missing core dimensions or content severely incomplete

Common Pitfalls

Document Template

# [Requirement Name]

## 1. Background
### 1.1 Business Context
### 1.2 User Scenario
### 1.3 Data Support
### 1.4 Strategic Alignment

## 2. Objectives
### 2.1 Core Objective
### 2.2 Quantified Metrics
### 2.3 Priorities

## 3. Scope
### 3.1 In Scope
### 3.2 Out of Scope
### 3.3 User Stories
### 3.4 Feature List

## 4. Detailed Features & Flows
### 4.1 Business Flow Diagram
### 4.2 Feature Descriptions
### 4.3 Change Highlights
### 4.4 Test Focus Points

## 5. Non-Functional Requirements
### 5.1 Performance
### 5.2 Operations Confirmation
### 5.3 Support SOP

## 6. Data Tracking
### 6.1 Tracking Plan
### 6.2 Dashboard Metrics
### 6.3 Data Validation

## 7. Acceptance Criteria
### 7.1 Functional Acceptance
### 7.2 Acceptance Scenarios
### 7.3 Post-Launch Tracking

## 8. Risk Assessment
### 8.1 Risk Register
### 8.2 Mitigation Plans

Trigger

Activate when the user asks to write, draft, review, or structure a requirements document, PRD, or product spec.