COEPD – Center of Excellence for Professional Development Happy Learning
SRS (software requirement specification) is a key document which explains all details with respect to the project development, in its initial stage of SDLC. It contains all the validated Functional and Non-functional requirements, listed priority wise.
It is created by the business analyst and contains all information indicating his understanding about the business need and thus suggesting solution accordingly. Function requirements are gathered and analyzed by BA and well documented in BRD (Business Requirement document) and All Architect list technical requirements and document it in SSD (Supplementary support documents).
Together BRD and SSD are documented in SRS, which thus is the first legal binding document between the Business owner and Project stakeholder.
Key elements of SRS
- A meaningful SRS indicates all needs and problem of the business in simplest form so that their respective solution can be worked upon with accuracy.
- SRS contains all the designing details for the ease of understanding the implementation and deployment process.
- SRS is a validated document in order to ensure that all the listed requirements are correct and SMART the way they are intended to.
- SRS has prioritized requirements as all the functional and technical documents are well prioritized by both the stakeholders – business and project.
- SRS is a comprehensive document -It contains all high level and mid-level details of requirements, solution designing, software development, test cases and implementation & deployment strategies.
Benefits of Software Requirements Specification
1. Clear Communication – It serves as a clear and crisp communication between business and Project stakeholder. It outlines the requirements, functionality and features of the software in detail; this minimizes the risk of misinterpretation between the stakeholders.
2. Ensure Software quality – A well written SRS bridges the gap between AS IS and TO BE process. It ensures that the software is developed to meet the requirements and expectations of the client and final product is as per the quality desired.
3. Simplifies Project Management – this document acts as draft for the designing and development team. It also helps the project team understand the probable challenges and risk in development cycle and thus help team to mitigate these with ready solutions.
4. Facilitate timely delivery – the sign off by the business client on the SRS reduces the need for the changes and rework thus facilitating the timely delivery.
5. Better collaboration – SRS ensure all stakeholders have same understanding for the business requirement and scope. I also help all team to collaborate and coordinate and be on the same page, for project development
6. Serve as a referral documents – High level business requirement document drafted by the project stakeholder and signoff on the same by the business stakeholder makes this document a referral one , at any stage by any stakeholder, in case of any ambiguity and discrepancy.
7. For maintenance and future reference – SRS also serves as an important document for the deployment and maintenance team, to understand the system architecture, business requirement and solutions and feature needs. it will also be referred in case of any change request rises in future.
