Software Requirement Analysis & Specification

A software requirements specification (SRS) is a description of a software system to be developed, laying out functional and non-functional requirements, and may include a set of use cases that describe interactions the users will have with the software.

Software requirements specification establishes the basis for an agreement between customers and contractors or suppliers (in market-driven projects, these roles may be played by the marketing and development divisions) on what the software product is to do as well as what it is not expected to do. Software requirements specification permits a rigorous assessment of requirements before design can begin and reduces later redesign. It should also provide a realistic basis for estimating product costs, risks, and schedules.

The software requirements specification document enlists enough and necessary requirements that are required for the project development. To derive the requirements we need to have clear and thorough understanding of the products to be developed or being developed. This is achieved and refined with detailed and continuous communications with the project team and customer till the completion of the software.

The SRS may be one of a contract deliverable Data Item Descriptions or have other forms of organizationally-mandated content. An example organization of an SRS is as follows: