How detailed should your requirements be? Here are a few factors to take into account.

1. How much detail?
Tips for the right level of detail
for your requirements

2. Level of detail – example 1
Lots of
freedom for
drivers

3. Level of detail – example 2
Highly
controlled
parking

4. Which is better?
Not detailed Detailed
• Experienced drivers will manage • Most drivers will manage
• Creative use of space is possible • How space is used is predefined
• Cars could get blocked in • Cars can always get in & out
• Space to park a bus • Doesn’t have space for a bus
Which is better? It
depends!

5. What does detail level depend on?
• Many factors influence what the optimal level
of detail is.
• Here are just a few…

6. Factor 1: What is the next step?
Detail level depends on what the next step in
the process is.
Compare:
– input for the initial business case
– basis for COTS software selection
– discuss with product owner before the next sprint

7. Factor 2: Who’s going to use it?
• How much does the recipient
know about the business domain?
• How much time will she spend
reading them?
• Does he have a different cultural
background, and if so: how does
that affect the way they interpret
your requirements?

8. Factor 3: When do you need it?
• Requirements will change.
• Delay writing the details until they are
needed.

9. Factor 4: Do stakeholders care?
• Do these details really matter to the
stakeholders?
• E.g: requesting a specific colour
– Trivial & irrelevant?
– Needed to comply with a standard?

10. Factor 5: What is the impact?
• What could go
wrong?
• Is it worse than spending an extra
couple of days writing detailed
requirements?

11. Just enough detail
• Enough confidence for the customer
• Enough freedom for the supplier
• Level of detail does not have to be the same
for all parts
– E.g. application interfaces & standards

12. Robert van Lieshout
+31 6 2881 5272
robert@pragmaticall.nl
www.pragmaticall.nl
@robertvl

13. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/