The purpose of this book is to help you improve the practice of requirements engineering. Requirements engineering is difficult. It's not just a simple matter of writing down what the customer says he wants. A fundamental problem in business is that requirements are inherently dynamic; they will change over time as our understanding of the problem we are trying to solve changes. The importance of good requirements and the underlying dynamic nature of the process mean that we must be as accurate as possible, and yet be flexible. Flexible does not mean "weak," but rather than we have a process for developing requirements and accommodating changed requirements as we clarify the real requirements of customers. Ineffective requirements practices are an industrywide problem. This is an area in which you can have a major positive impact. A more disciplined approach to requirements development and management is needed in order to improve project success rates. An alarming 53% of industry's investment in technical development projects is a casualty of cost overruns and failed projects.

This chapter defines the term "requirement," explains why requirements are important, and advocates planning to define the requirements strategy and activities. It suggests use of a defined and documented requirements process, that investing more in the requirements process will have a large payback, and that requirements serve a crucial role in business in managing risk. It recommends that you consider certain factors in making your career decisions. It suggests that much of the advice provided in the...