Requirement Specification

The specification document is a central document in project management that defines the requirements and conditions for a project. It serves as the basis for the creation of the requirements specification and assists in communication between the client and the contractor. The specification document defines the fundamental project objectives, framework conditions, and quality standards that are necessary for the successful implementation of the project.

Introduction

The specification document is an essential document in the field of project management that records the customer requirements and conditions for a project. It involves a detailed description of the requirements that the client places on the contractor. The specification document serves as the foundation for the creation of the requirements specification, in which the technical realization of the requirements is specified.

Objectives and Functions of a Specification Document

The specification document has several functions in project management:

 
• It serves as the basis for the creation of offers and the contract design between the client and the contractor.
 
• It aids in the communication and understanding of the requirements between both parties.
 
• It allows for a clear definition of project objectives and framework conditions.
 
• It sets out the quality standards and success criteria for the project.

Contents of a Specification Document

A specification document can vary in structure depending on the project, but should include the following points:

 
1. Objectives: Here, the overarching goals of the project are defined. It should be clearly described what benefit the project should have for the client.
 
2. Framework Conditions: This section sets out the organizational and temporal framework conditions of the project. These include, for example, the timeline, budget, responsibilities, and communication channels.
 
3. Requirements: This part describes the specific requirements for the project. Both functional requirements (e.g., services, functions) and non-functional requirements (e.g., security, usability) should be considered.
 
4. Quality Requirements: Here, the quality standards necessary for the successful implementation of the project are defined. This may include technical standards, compliance with norms, or the involvement of experts.
 
5. Acceptance Criteria: In this section, the criteria are defined that must be met for the project to be considered successfully completed. These should be measurable and clearly articulated.
 
6. Documentation: This determines what documents need to be created during the course of the project and how they should be structured.

Creation of a Specification Document

The creation of a specification document usually occurs in collaboration between the client and the contractor. Care should be taken to ensure that all participants have a common understanding of the requirements and objectives. A structured approach to the creation of the specification document is essential:

 
• The requirements should be described as precisely and completely as possible.
 
• The requirements should be prioritized and, if necessary, divided into must-have, should-have, and could-have criteria.
 
• It should be ensured that the requirements are realistic and feasible.
 
• The requirements should be formulated in coordination with all involved stakeholders.

Relationship Between Specification Document and Requirements Specification

The specification document and the requirements specification are two important documents in project management that are closely related to each other. While the specification document sets out the customer requirements and conditions for a project, the requirements specification describes the technical implementation of these requirements.

The specification document is created by the client and serves as the basis for the creation of the requirements specification by the contractor. Typically, the requirements specification is created by the contractor, who develops the technical solutions for the requirements defined in the specification document. The requirements specification describes how the requirements from the specification document should be implemented and which technical solutions will be used for this purpose.

Conclusion

The specification document is an essential document in project management that defines the requirements and conditions for a project. It serves as the basis for the creation of the requirements specification and aids in communication between the client and the contractor. Through the detailed description of project objectives, framework conditions, and quality standards, the specification document significantly contributes to the successful implementation of projects.