More About Software Requirements

Book excerpt: No matter how much instruction you’ve had on managing software requirements, there’s no substitute for experience. Too often, lessons about requirements engineering processes lack the no-nonsense guidance that supports real-world solutions. Complementing the best practices presented in his book, Software Requirements, Second Edition, requirements engineering authority Karl Wiegers tackles even more of the real issues head-on in this book. With straightforward, professional advice and practical solutions based on actual project experiences, this book answers many of the tough questions raised by industry professionals. From strategies for estimating and working with customers to the nuts and bolts of documenting requirements, this essential companion gives developers, analysts, and managers the cosmic truths that apply to virtually every software development project. Discover how to: • Make the business case for investing in better requirements practices • Generate estimates using three specific techniques • Conduct inquiries to elicit meaningful business and user requirements • Clearly document project scope • Implement use cases, scenarios, and user stories effectively • Improve inspections and peer reviews • Write requirements that avoid ambiguity