Non-functional requirements (NFRs) can be challenging! Business Analysts often struggle in formulating NFRs and requirements specifications can contain quite lengthy functional requirements but the non-functional requirements section is lacking in detail or is non-existent altogether.
It is important to not overlook NFRs. Increased knowledge about NFRs leads to people asking more questions that elicit non-functional requirements. This results in a significant reduction in missed requirements and the ability to define better requirements. Therefore, crucial requirements are not missed, which contributes to better systems.
Here are 5 highly recommended books that will help you improve your requirements discovery skills and master non-functional requirements. They contain examples of non-functional requirements, elicitation questions and checklists, and step-by-step techniques.
Mastering Non-Functional Requirements
Mastering Non-Functional Requirements is an invaluable resource for analysts and architects looking to capture NFRs in their engagements. It outlines a comprehensive methodology for capturing NFRs, as well as providing a framework that can be used by these professionals to tackle the complexities of NFRs across various projects. With this book, analysts and architects now have access to an essential toolkit for understanding how best to incorporate NFRs into their workflows. It also provides checklists for the software quality attributes related to the business, application, data, and infrastructure domains. If you want to ‘go deep’ this book gives thorough coverage of non-functional requirements.
The Quest for Software Requirements
The Quest for Software Requirements is an exceptional book and perfect for any professional looking to improve their skills in eliciting requirements. It contains over 2,000 suggested questions designed to help master the art of requirements gathering and ensure that all vital information is captured. It includes step-by-step techniques, insightful tips and tools, easy-to-use checklists, examples of non-functional requirements, and requirements-gathering questions. This resource provide readers with a powerful toolset to more accurately identify, classify and document non-functional requirements. Highly recommended!
Software Requirements
Software Requirements is an award winning book and is ideal for professionals involved in requirements elicitation, analysis, specification, validation and management – from business requirements to non-functional requirements. It provides a comprehensive set of practical techniques and templates that can be used to improve the efficiency of these processes. The real-life stories included provide insight into how successful organisations have applied these methods in their own environments. It covers topics such as business rules, data requirements, visual modelling, non-functional requirements and reuse which are becoming increasingly important areas for modern businesses.
Discovering Requirements
Discovering Requirements: How to Specify Products and Services is a comprehensive book useful for anyone looking to get the most out of their projects. It contains a wealth of carefully checked tips and tricks, illustrated examples, checklists, summaries, keywords and exercises that will help you discover requirements and better understand the real problems you’re trying to solve. Additionally, guest boxes from other experts provide extra hints and advice that can further enhance your understanding or give new ideas on how best to approach a project. It includes a full chapter on product qualities and constraints and how to discover, document, and validate non-functional requirements.
Mastering the Requirements Process
Mastering the Requirements Process describes a comprehensive and industry-proven process of gathering and verifying requirements. It includes latest best practices, demonstrating how to effectively discover customer needs regardless of whether you work in a traditional or agile environment. This essential read outlines the most efficient methods possible for understanding what customers want from their products or services so that developers can deliver high quality results every time. It includes checklists to help identify stakeholders, users, non-functional requirements, and describes methods for reusing requirements and requirements patterns. Highly recommended.