frd-writer

Reference Files

• references/requirements-attributes.md - Standard attributes for each requirement (ID, type, priority, status, source, rationale, fit criterion, dependencies). Read this in Step 3 when writing individual requirements.

Overview

Based on Software Requirements by Karl Wiegers & Joy Beatty - the modernized IEEE 830 SRS structure that organizes functional requirements by feature or use case, not by system component. Also draws on User Stories Applied by Mike Cohn for agile-format FRDs using the INVEST criteria (Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable). The key insight from Wiegers: every functional requirement must have a rationale (why it exists) and a fit criterion (how you know it's satisfied). Requirements without these two attributes are wishes, not requirements.

Workflow

Step 1: Define the system context

Before writing requirements, establish what the system is:

SYSTEM NAME: [name]
PURPOSE: [one sentence]
USERS: [user roles and their primary goals]
ADJACENT SYSTEMS: [systems this integrates with]
SCOPE REFERENCE: [link to BRD or scope document]