Chapter 2 Requirements model basics

Functional overview

The Requirements Model (RQM) is a documentary model. It describes a project by listing and explaining precisely what actions must be implemented during a development process.

You can use the Requirements Model for any kind of structured technical document (e.g. functional or technical specification, test plan) that must be taken into account during a development process.

The Requirements Model displays no diagram but three types of views:

Requirements document views: numbered lists of requirements with a common set of properties
Traceability matrix views: grids indicating the links between requirements and design objects (objects from other types of models), external files or other requirements
User allocation matrix views: grids indicating the links between requirements and users or groups who must meet these requirements during a development process

For more information on requirements views, see section Defining requirements views, in chapter Building a requirements model.

The Requirements Model allows you to:

Build a requirements model from a structured technical document
Check an existing or imported model
Create links between requirements and design objects (objects from other types of models)
Create requirements from design objects, and vice versa

Some design objects (e.g. business rules, packages, use cases) may correspond to requirements, and vice versa
Create and update an MS Word document from a requirements model

To provide users with an MS Word document corresponding to the requirements model
Create and update a requirements model from an MS Word document

To start from an existing MS Word document

From a requirements model, you can create design objects from requirements, or create and update an MS Word document.

You can also create requirements from design objects, or create and update a requirements model from an MS Word document.