Requirements Documents
Requirements documents are formal artifacts that capture and communicate the functional and non-functional needs of a software system, serving as a foundation for development, testing, and project management. They detail what the system should do, including user stories, use cases, specifications, and constraints, to align stakeholders and guide the development process. These documents help ensure that the final product meets business objectives and user expectations by providing a clear reference throughout the project lifecycle.
Developers should learn to create and use requirements documents to reduce ambiguity, prevent scope creep, and facilitate effective communication with clients, product managers, and team members, especially in waterfall or hybrid project methodologies. They are crucial in regulated industries like healthcare or finance, where compliance and traceability are mandatory, and in large-scale projects where detailed planning is essential to coordinate multiple teams and ensure consistency.