Software Requirements Specification

Template

<Project Name>

Version 1.0

Prepared by <author>
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Purpose 1
Document Conventions 1
Project Scope 1
References 1
Overall Description 1
Product Perspective 1
Product Features 2
User Classes and Characteristics 2
Operating Environment 2
Assumptions and Dependencies 2
Functional Requirements 2
[Module 1] 2
Description and Priority 2
Functional Requirements 3
[Module 2] (and so on) 3
Nonfunctional Requirements 3
Performance Requirements 3
Safety Requirements 3
Security Requirements 3
Software Quality Attributes 4
Other Requirements 4

Revision History
Name Date Changes Version

Software Requirements Specification for <Project> 2

1. Introduction
1.1 Purpose
<Identify the product whose software requirements are specified in this document, including the
revision or release number. Describe the scope of the product that is covered by this SRS,
particularly if this SRS describes only part of the system or a single subsystem.>

1.2 Document Conventions

<Describe any standards or typographical conventions that were followed when writing this SRS,
such as fonts or highlighting that have special significance. For example, state whether priorities
for higher-level requirements are assumed to be inherited by detailed requirements, or whether
every requirement statement is to have its own priority.>

1.3 Project Scope

<Provide a short description of the software being specified and its purpose, including relevant
benefits, objectives, and goals. Relate the software to corporate goals or business strategies. If a
separate vision and scope document is available, refer to it rather than duplicating its contents
here. An SRS that specifies the next release of an evolving product should contain its own scope
statement as a subset of the long-term strategic product vision.>

1.4 References
<List any other documents (BRD) or Web addresses to which this SRS refers. These may include
user interface style guides, contracts, standards, system requirements specifications, use case
documents, or a vision and scope document. Provide enough information so that the reader could
access a copy of each reference, including title, author, version number, date, and source or
location.>

2. Overall Description
2.1 Product Perspective
<Describe the context and origin of the product being specified in this SRS. For example, state
whether this product is a follow-on member of a product family, a replacement for certain existing
systems, or a new, self-contained product. If the SRS defines a component of a larger system,
relate the requirements of the larger system to the functionality of this software and identify
interfaces between the two. A simple diagram that shows the major components of the overall
system, subsystem interconnections, and external interfaces can be helpful.>

Software Requirements Specification for <Project> 1

2.2 Product Features
<Summarize the major features the product contains or the significant functions that it performs or
lets the user perform. Details will be provided in Section 3, so only a high level summary is needed
here. Organize the functions to make them understandable to any reader of the SRS. A picture of
the major groups of related requirements and how they relate, such as a top level data flow
diagram or a class diagram, is often effective.>

2.3 User Classes and Characteristics

<Identify the various user classes that you anticipate will use this product. User classes may be
differentiated based on frequency of use, subset of product functions used, technical expertise,
security or privilege levels, educational level, or experience. Describe the pertinent characteristics
of each user class. Certain requirements may pertain only to certain user classes. Distinguish the
favored user classes from those who are less important to satisfy.>

2.4 Operating Environment

<Describe the environment in which the software will operate, including the hardware platform,
operating system and versions, and any other software components or applications with which it
must peacefully coexist.>

2.5 Assumptions and Dependencies

<List any assumed factors (as opposed to known facts) that could affect the requirements stated in
the SRS. These could include third-party or commercial components that you plan to use, issues
around the development or operating environment, or constraints. The project could be affected if
these assumptions are incorrect, are not shared, or change. Also identify any dependencies the
project has on external factors, such as software components that you intend to reuse from
another project, unless they are already documented elsewhere (for example, in the vision and
scope document or the project plan).>

3. Functional Requirements
<This template illustrates organizing the functional requirements for the product by system
features, the major services provided by the product. You may prefer to organize this section by
use case, mode of operation, user class, object class, functional hierarchy, or combinations of
these, whatever makes the most logical sense for your product.>

3.1 [Module 1]

3.1.1 Description and Priority

<Provide a short description of the feature and indicate whether it is of High, Medium, or Low
priority. You could also include specific priority component ratings, such as benefit, penalty, cost,
and risk (each rated on a relative scale from a low of 1 to a high of 9).>

Software Requirements Specification for <Project> 2

3.1.2 Functional Requirements
<Itemize the detailed functional requirements associated with this feature. These are the software
capabilities that must be present in order for the user to carry out the services provided by the
feature, or to execute the use case. Include how the product should respond to anticipated error
conditions or invalid inputs. Requirements should be concise, complete, unambiguous, verifiable,
and necessary. Use “TBD” as a placeholder to indicate when necessary information is not yet
available.>

<Each requirement should be uniquely identified with a sequence number or a meaningful tag of
some kind.>

FR-001:
FR-002:

3.2 [Module 2] (and so on)

4. Nonfunctional Requirements
4.1 Performance Requirements
<If there are performance requirements for the product under various circumstances, state them
here and explain their rationale, to help the developers understand the intent and make suitable
design choices. Specify the timing relationships for real time systems. Make such requirements as
specific as possible. You may need to state performance requirements for individual functional
requirements or features.>

4.2 Safety Requirements

<Specify those requirements that are concerned with possible loss, damage, or harm that could
result from the use of the product. Define any safeguards or actions that must be taken, as well as
actions that must be prevented. Refer to any external policies or regulations that state safety
issues that affect the product’s design or use. Define any safety certifications that must be
satisfied.>

4.3 Security Requirements

<Specify any requirements regarding security or privacy issues surrounding use of the product or
protection of the data used or created by the product. Define any user identity authentication
requirements. Refer to any external policies or regulations containing security issues that affect the
product. Define any security or privacy certifications that must be satisfied.>

4.4 Software Quality Attributes

<Specify any additional quality characteristics for the product that will be important to either the
customers or the developers. Some to consider are: adaptability, availability, correctness,
flexibility, interoperability, maintainability, portability, reliability, reusability, robustness, testability,

Software Requirements Specification for <Project> 3

and usability. Write these to be specific, quantitative, and verifiable when possible. At the least,
clarify the relative preferences for various attributes, such as ease of use over ease of learning.>

5. Other Requirements
<Define any other requirements not covered elsewhere in the SRS. This might include database
requirements, internationalization requirements, legal requirements, reuse objectives for the
project, and so on. Add any new sections that are pertinent to the project.>

Appendix A: Glossary
<Define all the terms necessary to properly interpret the SRS, including acronyms and
abbreviations. You may wish to build a separate glossary that spans multiple projects or the entire
organization, and just include terms specific to a single project in each SRS.>

Appendix B: Analysis Models

<Optionally, include any pertinent analysis models, such as data flow diagrams, class diagrams,
state-transition diagrams, or entity-relationship diagrams.>

Appendix C: Issues List

< This is a dynamic list of the open requirements issues that remain to be resolved, including
TBDs, pending decisions, information that is needed, conflicts awaiting resolution, and the like.>

Software Requirements Specification for <Project> 4