The user requirement(s) document (URD) or user requirement(s) specification (URS) is a document usually used in
software engineering
Software engineering is a systematic engineering approach to software development.
A software engineer is a person who applies the principles of software engineering to design, develop, maintain, test, and evaluate computer software. The term '' ...
that specifies what the user expects the software to be able to do.
Once the required information is completely gathered it is documented in a URD, which is meant to spell out exactly what the software must do and becomes part of the
contractual agreement
A contract is a legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties that creates, defines, and governs mutual rights and obligations between them. A contract typically involves the transfer of goods, services, money, or a promise to tran ...
. A customer cannot demand features not in the URD, while the developer cannot claim the product is ready if it does not meet an item of the URD.
The URD can be used as a guide for planning cost, timetables, milestones, testing, etc. The explicit nature of the URD allows customers to show it to various
stakeholders to make sure all necessary features are described.
Formulating a URD requires
negotiation to determine what is technically and economically feasible. Preparing a URD is one of those skills that lies between a
science
Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence ...
and an
art, requiring both software technical skills and
interpersonal skills
A social skill is any competence facilitating interaction and communication with others where social rules and relations are created, communicated, and changed in verbal and nonverbal ways. The process of learning these skills is called so ...
.
Pharmaceutical Industry Use
User Requirement Specifications (URS) are important in the pharmaceutical industry for regulatory and business purpos
.URS support regulatory and business considerations for processes, equipment, and systems. For example, a business consideration could be the foot print of equipment prior to installation to ensure there is enough room. Likewise, a regulatory consideration could be the ability for the system to provide an
audit trail
An audit trail (also called audit log) is a security-relevant chronological record, set of records, and/or destination and source of records that provide documentary evidence of the sequence of activities that have affected at any time a specific ...
to ensure the system meets
regulatory requirements.
URS writing pitfalls
Commonly, when companies are purchasing systems, processes, and equipment - not everything is considered. URS ensure everything is considered and the supplier provides the components, features, and design required to meet the company needs. By considering more and having the components, features, and design required, the system, process, or equipment can be aligned with company interests and easily integrated.
See also
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Product requirements document
A product requirements document (PRD) is a document containing all the requirements for a certain product.
It is written to allow people to understand ''what'' a product should do. A PRD should, however, generally avoid anticipating or defining ...
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Marketing Requirements Document
A market requirements document (MRD) in project management and systems engineering, is a document that expresses the customer's wants and needs for the product or service. Shired, DianMRD – Market Requirements Document Birds-Eye.Net. Accessed 09 ...
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Requirements management
Requirements management is the process of documenting, analyzing, tracing, prioritizing and agreeing on requirements and then controlling change and communicating to relevant stakeholders. It is a continuous process throughout a project. A requi ...
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Use case
In software and systems engineering, the phrase use case is a polyseme with two senses:
# A usage scenario for a piece of software; often used in the plural to suggest situations where a piece of software may be useful.
# A potential scenario ...
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Use case surveyISO 25065 "User requirements specification"
References
Software requirements
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