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150

answers:

1

Are there any websites or resources which have templates/examples of different types of documents which would be produced during requirements gathering sessions? Something like

  • Requirements Analysis
  • System Requirements
  • Functional Specifications
  • Nonfunctional Specifications
  • Design specification
  • Validation
  • Test Plans
+4  A: 

Yes. Yes there are.

The big, weighty, technical manual version would be the ISO/IEC 12207 Software Lifecycle Processes guide, which will list deliverables for ALL phases, by their intended purpose and consumption, what sort of information they'll include, and so on. Here is a wikipedia article giving a brief overview, and you can purchase it Here. It's big, and expensive.

In book form, Software Requirements, Second Edition is highly rated, and comes from Microsoft Press, much like Code Complete. The author of that text has This Site, which offers templates and such that you were asking for, as shareware (Aww, so quaint).

At the MilSpec grade, Wacko-hard-to-use end of the spectrum, there's Telelogic Doors for Requirements Management, which has tracibility down pat. You most likely don't need to go down this path.

Remember too, that your documents should all be living, evolving tools (Something the 12207 standard is about). They need to meet the requirements of the stakeholders in terms of specificy, tracibility, readability and ease-of-use. Your needs are yours alone, and your documents need to change to meet them, not the other way around. Don't fall into the process trap.

Dylan Lacey
Thanks, great answer!
Bob