Introduction to

Requirements Classification
In the context of requirement engineering, the term "classification of requirements" refers to
the process of categorizing requirements into different groups or types based on various
criteria. Classifications of requirements usually categorize requirements based on their
characteristics, nature, or purpose.

The classification of requirements is a dynamic and iterative process, as the needs of

stakeholders may evolve over the course of a project.
User Requirements
Understanding user requirements is crucial in software development as they form the
foundation for designing and developing a system that meets the needs and expectations of
the end users. user requirements are typically categorized as follows:

1. Functional Requirements

2. Non-Functional Requirements
3. User Interface Requirements
4. System Requirements
5. Operational Requirements

6. Regulatory Requirements
Functional Requirements
Functional requirements describe the specific functions, features, or behaviors that a system
must perform to meet the needs of its users or stakeholders.

User Interaction Data Handling

Functional requirements define the core Functional requirements also encompass
capabilities and features that a system the system's ability to properly ingest,
must provide to users. These store, manipulate, and output data. This
requirements focus on the specific includes requirements around data input
actions and behaviors that users should validation, processing rules, storage
be able to perform, such as logging in, formats, retrieval mechanisms, and
searching for information, placing orders, output formats. Defining clear functional
or generating reports. Capturing these requirements for data handling helps
functional needs ensures the system can ensure the system can reliably manage the
effectively meet the users' primary goals information it needs to support user
and tasks. activities.

Business Logic System Capabilities

Beyond user interactions and data Functional requirements also outline the
handling, functional requirements specify specific capabilities the system must
the underlying business rules and logic provide, such as report generation,
that the system must implement. This can notification triggers, integration with
include complex workflows, calculations, external systems, and security controls.
decision-making, and policy enforcement. These requirements help define the full
Clearly documenting these functional scope of what the system needs to deliver
requirements helps align the system's in order to meet the users' and
behavior with the organization's organization's requirements.
operational needs and ensures the
solution can properly automate key
business processes.
Non-Functional Requirements
Non-functional requirements are just as essential as functional requirements when it comes to
building high-quality software systems. These requirements focus on the overall performance,
usability, security, and other attributes that the system must possess, rather than specific
behaviors or features. Non-functional requirements help ensure that the system meets the
needs and expectations of end-users, stakeholders, and regulatory bodies.

1. Usability: The system should be easy to use, intuitive, and provide a seamless user
experience. This includes aspects like clear navigation, responsive design, and accessible
interfaces for users with disabilities.
2. Performance: The system should be able to handle the expected workload and user traffic
without compromising response times, throughput, or availability. This may involve
requirements for server processing power, network bandwidth, and database performance.

3. Security: The system must protect sensitive data and user information from unauthorized
access, data breaches, and cyber threats. This can include requirements for encryption,
access controls, audit logging, and compliance with industry standards and regulations.
4. Scalability: The system should be able to accommodate growth in user base, data volume,
and transaction rates without significant performance degradation or the need for a
complete redesign. This may involve considerations for horizontal scaling, cloud
infrastructure, and modular architecture.
5. Reliability: The system should be highly available, with minimal downtime and consistent
performance, even in the face of hardware failures, network disruptions, or unexpected
spikes in usage. This can include requirements for redundancy, failover mechanisms, and
automated monitoring and recovery processes.
6. Maintainability: The system should be easy to update, debug, and modify, with clear
documentation, modular design, and well-defined interfaces. This helps ensure that the
system can evolve and adapt to changing business requirements over time.
Business Requirements
Business requirements are statements of the needs or objectives of a business or organization.
They outline what the business aims to achieve through a particular project, initiative, or
system.

1 Identifying Business Goals

The first step in defining business requirements is to clearly identify the
overarching goals and objectives of the organization. What is the company
aiming to achieve through this new system or software? Whether it's increasing
revenue, improving operational efficiency, enhancing the customer experience,
or expanding into new markets, these high-level business drivers must be
understood and documented.

2 Aligning with Strategy

Business requirements should be directly aligned with the organization's
strategic priorities and long-term vision. The new system or software being
developed must support and enable the company's broader business strategy.
Careful analysis is needed to ensure the requirements are not just tactical or
short-term, but will truly help the organization achieve its strategic goals.

3 Defining Key Metrics

To measure the success of the new system or software, it's critical to define the
key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics that will be used. These might
include revenue targets, cost savings, customer satisfaction scores, user
adoption rates, or operational efficiency improvements. Having clearly defined
metrics upfront allows the organization to track progress and ensure the
business requirements are being met.
System Requirements
Functionality Performance
System requirements define the essential System requirements also address the
functions and capabilities that the system system's performance characteristics, such
must possess to meet the needs of users and as speed, reliability, scalability, and
stakeholders. These requirements specify responsiveness. These requirements set
what the system should be able to do, such benchmarks for the system's operational
as processing data, generating reports, efficiency, ensuring that it can handle the
integrating with other systems, and expected workload and user demands
providing a user-friendly interface. They without compromising its functionality or
ensure that the system is designed to fulfill user experience. Performance requirements
its intended purposes and deliver the help to optimize the system's resources and
expected value. ensure that it meets the desired levels of
service.

Security
Maintainability
Security is a critical aspect of system
System requirements also encompass the
requirements, as it helps to protect the
maintainability of the system, which includes
system, its data, and its users from various
factors such as ease of installation,
threats, such as unauthorized access, data
upgradability, troubleshooting, and ongoing
breaches, and cyber attacks. Security
support. These requirements ensure that the
requirements define the necessary
system can be efficiently maintained,
safeguards, access controls, encryption
updated, and improved over time, reducing
protocols, and other measures to maintain
the overall cost of ownership and enhancing
the confidentiality, integrity, and availability
the system's longevity.
of the system and its information.
Interface Requirements
Interface requirements in software engineering refer to the specifications and guidelines that
dictate how different software components, modules, or systems interact and communicate
with each other

1. User Interface (UI) Requirements: These requirements describe how users interact with
the software system. User interface requirements specify the layout, design, functionality,
and usability features of the graphical user interface (GUI) or command-line interface (CLI)
2. Application Programming Interface (API) Requirements: APIs define the interfaces and
protocols used for communication between different software components or systems. API
requirements specify the methods, parameters, data formats, and authentication
mechanisms used for invoking and interacting with APIs.
3. Hardware Interface Requirements: These requirements define how the software interacts
with hardware components such as processors, memory devices, storage devices,
input/output (I/O) devices, sensors, and actuators. Hardware interface requirements specify
the communication protocols, drivers, and compatibility standards necessary for interfacing
with specific hardware platforms
4. Software Interface Requirements: Software interfaces describe how software modules,
libraries, services, or subsystems interact with each other within the same application or
across different applications. Software interface requirements specify the function calls,
data structures, parameters, and error handling mechanisms used for inter-module
communication and collaboration.

5. External Interface Requirements: External interfaces involve interactions between the

software system and external entities such as other software systems, databases, web
services, networks, protocols, and third-party applications. External interface requirements
specify the communication protocols, data exchange formats, security mechanisms, and
service-level agreements (SLAs) governing interactions with external entities.
6. Integration Interface Requirements: Integration interfaces define the interactions and
dependencies between different software components or subsystems during integration
and testing. They specify the data flows, synchronization points, error handling
mechanisms, and integration testing procedures necessary for integrating and verifying the
correct behavior of interconnected software elements.
Performance Requirements
Reliability
1 Consistent and dependable performance

Scalability
2
Ability to handle growing workloads

Responsiveness
3
Quick and seamless user experience

Performance requirements are critical to ensuring that a system or application can meet the
needs of its users and stakeholders. These requirements focus on the system's ability to
consistently deliver the expected level of functionality and quality of service, even as demands
on the system grow and evolve over time.

Reliability is a core performance requirement, ensuring that the system operates flawlessly and
without interruption. Scalability is also vital, enabling the system to handle increasing numbers
of users, transactions, or data volumes without degradation in performance. And
responsiveness - the system's ability to provide quick, smooth, and seamless interactions - is
essential for delivering an optimal user experience.

By carefully defining and measuring performance requirements, organizations can build

systems that are robust, efficient, and able to maintain high levels of service delivery even as
needs change. This allows them to meet and exceed user expectations, stay competitive, and
provide maximum value.
Regulatory Requirements
Regulatory requirements are rules, laws, or guidelines set by governments, industry
organizations, or other authorities that dictate what a software system must comply with in
terms of safety, security, privacy, and other important aspects

Legal Compliance Security Standards Compliance Balance

Adhering to all relevant laws Meeting the highest security Striking a balance between
and regulations governing the standards to protect user compliance requirements and
software industry. data and privacy. user experience.