Requirement Analysis in Software Development

Introduction

This repository explores the concept of Requirement Analysis, a critical phase in the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
The goal is to understand how requirements are gathered, analyzed, and validated to ensure that software products meet business and user needs effectively.
By the end of this project, you’ll have a structured overview of the process, activities, and tools used in requirement analysis.

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What is Requirement Analysis?

Requirement Analysis is the process of identifying, gathering, and documenting what a software system should do. It involves understanding the needs of stakeholders and transforming them into clear, actionable, and testable requirements.

Importance in SDLC:

• It defines what the system should achieve before development begins.
• It ensures alignment between stakeholders and developers.
• It reduces project risks by detecting misunderstandings early.

Requirement Analysis sets the foundation for design, development, testing, and deployment, ensuring that the end product meets user expectations.

Why is Requirement Analysis Important?

Requirement Analysis is vital in software development for several key reasons:

1. Clarity and Understanding
   It provides a clear understanding of what the client wants, ensuring all stakeholders are on the same page before development begins.

2. Risk Reduction
   By identifying potential issues and ambiguities early, teams can prevent costly rework later in the project.

3. Efficient Resource Management
   Well-defined requirements help in accurate estimation of time, cost, and effort required to complete the project.

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Key Activities in Requirement Analysis

The process of Requirement Analysis consists of several structured activities that guide how requirements are discovered and refined:

• Requirement Gathering:
  Collecting information from stakeholders through interviews, surveys, and workshops to understand needs and expectations.

• Requirement Elicitation:
  Engaging stakeholders to extract detailed and hidden requirements through techniques like brainstorming and use case discussions.

• Requirement Documentation:
  Recording requirements in a structured and clear manner using documents like SRS (Software Requirements Specification).

• Requirement Analysis and Modeling:
  Analyzing gathered data to remove conflicts and redundancies, and using models such as use case diagrams or data flow diagrams for better visualization.

• Requirement Validation:
  Ensuring the documented requirements are accurate, complete, and aligned with stakeholder intentions before proceeding to design and implementation.

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Types of Requirements

1. Functional Requirements

Functional requirements define what the system should do — the specific behavior or functions of the system.

Examples (Booking Management System):

• Users should be able to create an account and log in.
• The system should allow users to search for available rooms based on date and location.
• The system should process payments securely for bookings.
• Admins should be able to approve, cancel, or modify bookings.

2. Non-functional Requirements

Non-functional requirements define how the system should perform rather than what it should do. These focus on quality attributes like performance, security, and usability.

Examples (Booking Management System):

• The system should load search results within 2 seconds.
• The system should handle up to 10,000 concurrent users.
• The website must be mobile responsive and accessible.
• All user data should be encrypted and stored securely.

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Use Case Diagrams

What are Use Case Diagrams?

A Use Case Diagram visually represents how users (actors) interact with the system to achieve goals. It helps in identifying system boundaries, actors, and key functionalities.

Benefits:

• Clarifies system scope and interactions
• Simplifies communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Serves as a foundation for requirement documentation and testing

Example – Booking Management System

Below is a sample use case diagram representing the booking process for a hotel management system.

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Acceptance Criteria

What is Acceptance Criteria?

Acceptance Criteria are predefined conditions that a software feature must meet to be accepted by the user, client, or product owner. They define the boundaries and expected behavior of a feature.

Importance:

• Ensures each feature delivers value as expected.
• Provides a clear definition of “done.”
• Helps testers validate whether a feature works correctly.

Example – Checkout Feature (Booking System):

Feature: Checkout and Payment Processing

Acceptance Criteria:

1. The user must be able to review booking details before payment.
2. The system must display the total cost (including taxes and discounts).
3. The user can choose from multiple payment methods (e.g., card, PayPal).
4. Payment confirmation must be displayed instantly upon success.
5. The system must send a confirmation email after successful payment.
6. The system should prevent duplicate transactions if a user refreshes the page.