# Requirements Peer Review Checklist

# Document Change history

  ---------------- ------------------ -----------------------------------
  Version Number   Date               Description

  1.0              April 2004         Draft
  ---------------- ------------------ -----------------------------------

Requirements Peer Review Checklist

+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| S  |                             | Author:          |    |    |    |
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+====+=============================+==================+====+====+====+
| In |                             | Date:            |    |    |    |
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| to |                             |                  |    |    |    |
| r: |                             |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| It | Instruction                 |                  | Y  | No | N  |
| em |                             |                  | es |    | /A |
| \# |                             |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 1. | Is each requirement         |                  |    |    |    |
|    | precise, unambiguous and    |                  |    |    |    |
|    | clear? \[See Attachment 1   |                  |    |    |    |
|    | for suggestions on methods  |                  |    |    |    |
|    | for determining             |                  |    |    |    |
|    | ambiguity.\]                |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 2. | Have all significant and    |                  |    |    |    |
|    | relevant items that are     |                  |    |    |    |
|    | needed for the              |                  |    |    |    |
|    | specification of the system |                  |    |    |    |
|    | been included (i.e., it     |                  |    |    |    |
|    | reflects all of the known   |                  |    |    |    |
|    | customer needs)?            |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 3. | Is each requirement free    |                  |    |    |    |
|    | from error and specify      |                  |    |    |    |
|    | something required of the   |                  |    |    |    |
|    | system to be built?         |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 4. | Are the requirements free   |                  |    |    |    |
|    | from inconsistencies or     |                  |    |    |    |
|    | conflicts?                  |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 5. | Is each requirement         |                  |    |    |    |
|    | sufficiently quantified to  |                  |    |    |    |
|    | be testable?                |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 6. | Is the customer able to     |                  |    |    |    |
|    | read, understand and        |                  |    |    |    |
|    | determine if the            |                  |    |    |    |
|    | requirements document their |                  |    |    |    |
|    | needs?                      |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 7. | Are the requirements        |                  |    |    |    |
|    | understandable and usable   |                  |    |    |    |
|    | by individuals with varying |                  |    |    |    |
|    | levels of technical         |                  |    |    |    |
|    | knowledge (i.e. users,      |                  |    |    |    |
|    | analysts, designers,        |                  |    |    |    |
|    | engineers)?                 |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 8. | Are requirements easy to    |                  |    |    |    |
|    | change and does a change to |                  |    |    |    |
|    | one requirement have        |                  |    |    |    |
|    | minimal impact on other     |                  |    |    |    |
|    | requirements?               |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 9. | Is each requirement         |                  |    |    |    |
|    | applicable to the problem   |                  |    |    |    |
|    | and its solution?           |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 10 | Is the relative             |                  |    |    |    |
| .  | necessity/importance of     |                  |    |    |    |
|    | each requirement indicated? |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 11 | Is each requirement free    |                  |    |    |    |
| .  | from any specific software  |                  |    |    |    |
|    | architecture or design      |                  |    |    |    |
|    | implication?                |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| 12 | Is each requirement         |                  |    |    |    |
| .  | traceable from its origin,  |                  |    |    |    |
|    | through each work product,  |                  |    |    |    |
|    | into the delivered          |                  |    |    |    |
|    | products?                   |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
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| #. |                             |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+
| \  |                             |                  |    |    |    |
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| ar |                             |                  |    |    |    |
| y. |                             |                  |    |    |    |
| \] |                             |                  |    |    |    |
+----+-----------------------------+------------------+----+----+----+

Attachment 1\
Methods for Revealing Ambiguities, Errors, and/or Misunderstandings

+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1 | When a structure is described in words, try to sketch a picture  |
| . | of the structure being described                                 |
|   |                                                                  |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 2 | When a structure is described by a picture, try to redraw the    |
| . | picture in a form that emphasizes different aspects              |
|   |                                                                  |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 3 | When there is an equation, try expressing the meaning of the     |
| . | equation in words                                                |
|   |                                                                  |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 4 | When a calculation is specified or implied in words, try         |
| . | expressing it in an equation                                     |
|   |                                                                  |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 5 | When a calculation is specified, work an example by hand and     |
| . | give them as examples in the specification                       |
|   |                                                                  |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 6 | Look for statements that in any way imply certainty (use of      |
| . | words such as ALWAYS, EVERY, ALL, NONE, and NEVER indicate       |
|   | unproved certainty) and then ask for proof                       |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 7 | Be on the lookout for words that are supposed to be persuasive,  |
| . | such as CERTAINLY, THEREFORE, or CLEARLY                         |
|   |                                                                  |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 8 | Watch for vague words, such as SOME, SOMETIMES, OFTEN, USUALLY,  |
| . | ORDINARILY, CUSTOMARILY, MOST, or MOSTLY                         |
|   |                                                                  |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 9 | When lists are given, but not completed, make sure that there is |
| . | a complete understanding of the nature of the subsequent items.  |
|   | The words ETC., AND SO FORTH, ON SO ON, or SUCH AS must not be   |
|   | specified in a requirements document                             |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1 | In attempting to clarify lists, we sometimes state a rule. Be    |
| 0 | sure that the rule doesn't contain unstated assumptions as in    |
| . | "the valid inputs range from 100 to 1000" (the rule seems to     |
|   | imply integers, but does it?, are the end points included?, are  |
|   | there any invalid in the range?)                                 |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1 | Look for rules without examples, or too few examples to          |
| 1 | illustrate the rule                                              |
| . |                                                                  |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1 | Beware of vague verbs such as HANDLED, PROCESSED, REJECTED,      |
| 2 | SKIPPED, or ELIMINATED                                           |
| . |                                                                  |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1 | PASSIVE VOICE may be ambiguous since the doer of the action is   |
| 3 | unidentified                                                     |
| . |                                                                  |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1 | Beware of comparatives without referents - Always ask, "Compared |
| 4 | with what?" Beware of EARLIEST, SPECIAL, NEW, -EST words, -ER    |
| . | words, and other implicit comparison words                       |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1 | Pronouns are often clear to the writer and not the reader. Look  |
| 5 | closely at uses of IT, HE, SHE, THEY, HIS, HERS, ITS, THEIR, WE, |
| . | US, OUR, YOU, and YOUR                                           |
|   |                                                                  |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------+