Requirements Management Working Group: Characteristics of Good Requirements

This paper identifies and documents the major characteristics of well defined requirements for both individual requirements and aggregates of requirements such as those found in specifications. Characteristics exhibited by well defined requirements are described. The descriptions are followed by a brief discussion of the characteristics. A few examples of well defined requirements are provided. Some supporting characteristics of requirements are also described. These supporting characteristics are not properties of the requirements themselves but are attributes assigned to individual requirements to assist in managing the requirements through the life cycle. The paper was written and reviewed by members of the requirements working group of the INCOSE.