Requirements Document Template

This article will discuss the following:

• why gathering requirements can be difficult;
• how do I make gathering requirement easier;
• why use iAuditor requirements document template;
• free ready to use requirements document templates.

Why Gathering Requirements Can Be Difficult

Gathering requirements is crucial in recommending the best course of action for a business. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most difficult parts of a business analyst’s job. Gathering requirements is time-consuming since it involves asking a lot of questions that aren’t easy for the business to answer right away. It is even more challenging during a crisis, especially one that prevents analysts from being on-site with stakeholders. This lack of face-to-face interaction and first-hand experience of business constraints can lead to business analysts making costly mistakes. 

How Do I Make Gathering Requirements Easier?

While there are a handful of techniques in requirements gathering, most of them require much more effort than is necessary. One technique is document analysis, in which the business analyst has to go through organizational documents about the current process or system. When using the document analysis technique, the business analyst has to request or find the documents, figure out which information within the document can be of use, and hopefully obtain insights that might help in defining the business requirements.

Another technique is prototyping, in which the business analyst has to construct prototypes based on requirements from stakeholders. When using the prototyping technique, the business analyst has to obtain the necessary information through other means such as one-on-one or group interviews. The business analyst also has to keep making prototypes until the expected outcome of the requirements is achieved.

While these techniques might lead to more accurate definitions of the business requirements, they are also widely inefficient for business analysts to do on a regular basis. To truly make gathering requirements quick and painless, use a requirements document template and follow these three tips.

Ask the Right Questions the Right Way

When using a premade requirements document template, checklist items and questions should be tailored to fit the business. Think carefully about what you need to know about the business in order to move forward. Also, keep in mind that the way you phrase your question matters. While it’s your job to identify areas where the business can improve, having a good relationship with stakeholders can make them more receptive to your recommendations.

Ensure the Criteria is Clear

While creating and editing questions, don’t forget to set appropriate response types. This helps ensure that the criteria for each question is clear and stakeholders understand the kind of information they need to provide so that you can help them improve their business. Some common response types that you might use are annotations or media files, multiple choices, and signatures for stakeholder approval.

Add Notes to Provide Context

Avoid miscommunication and wasting time on irrelevant details by adding detailed notes to checklist items as necessary. Since a requirements document acts as a reference point for both analyst and stakeholder, you must ensure that it has everything one needs to get up to speed. Save time explaining the data and focus more on talking about what steps the business should take.

Why Use iAuditor Requirements Document Templates?

Gain key stakeholder buy-in and obtain requirements faster with requirements document templates from iAuditor by SafetyCulture. iAuditor is a mobile inspection app that empowers organizations to conduct digital inspections and audits, taking away the manual work required in creating paper checklists and reports. We’ll help you ask questions more effectively with our easy-to-use template editor and various response types. iAuditor requirements document templates also allow you to add notes, make comments, and more. With iAuditor you can:

• Create and complete collaborative actions with clients
• Use multiple choice responses and enable multiple selection
• Ask clients for signatures, photos, and annotations
• Generate professional Web & PDF reports instantly
• See common issues with the analytics dashboard

Gathering requirements can be easy with iAuditor. Get started for free by downloading one of our featured requirements document templates below.