Product performance requirements are commonly written using the terms shall, will, or should. Describe the difference between these three terms and how each would be used when formulating a requirement:
· Write a formal requirement using each term and explain why you chose to use the term for your example.
· Discuss if there are any alternate terms that could be used in place of these three and explain why they may be more or less appropriate for a particular example.
Full Answer Section
Will
The term
will is used to indicate a statement of fact or a declaration of purpose. This means that the statement is true or that the purpose is intended, but it is not necessarily contractually binding. For example, a requirement for a software product might state that "The software will be able to process 1000 transactions per second." This statement is a declaration of purpose, so the software may or may not be able to process 1000 transactions per second. However, the statement is still useful because it provides information about the intended purpose of the software.
Should
The term
should is used to indicate a goal or a recommendation. This means that the goal is desirable, but it is not necessarily required. For example, a requirement for a software product might state that "The software should be able to process 1000 transactions per second." This goal is desirable, but it is not required. The software may or may not be able to process 1000 transactions per second, but it is still a goal that the developers should strive to achieve.
Formal requirements
Here are some examples of formal requirements using the terms shall, will, and should:
- Shall: The software shall be able to process 1000 transactions per second.
- Will: The software will be able to process 1000 transactions per second.
- Should: The software should be able to process 1000 transactions per second.
In each of these examples, the term that is used indicates the level of importance of the requirement. The term
shall indicates that the requirement is contractually binding, the term
will indicates that the requirement is a statement of fact or a declaration of purpose, and the term
should indicates that the requirement is a goal or a recommendation.
Alternate terms
There are some alternate terms that could be used in place of shall, will, and should when formulating a requirement. For example, the term
must could be used in place of shall, the term
may could be used in place of will, and the term
could could be used in place of should. However, it is important to use the terms consistently throughout the requirement document. If you use different terms for the same type of requirement, it can be difficult to understand the requirements and to verify that they have been met.
Which term to use
The best term to use when formulating a requirement depends on the specific requirement. If the requirement is contractually binding, then the term
shall should be used. If the requirement is a statement of fact or a declaration of purpose, then the term
will should be used. If the requirement is a goal or a recommendation, then the term
should should be used.
It is also important to consider the audience when formulating a requirement. If the audience is technical, then the terms
shall,
will, and
should will be understood. However, if the audience is not technical, then it may be better to use more descriptive terms. For example, instead of saying "The software shall be able to process 1000 transactions per second," you could say "The software must be able to handle a high volume of transactions."
Conclusion
The terms shall, will, and should are commonly used when formulating product performance requirements. These terms have different meanings, and it is important to use them correctly. By using the correct terms, you can ensure that your requirements are clear, concise, and easy to understand.