Chapter 2 Requirements Model Basics

What is an RQM?

A Requirements Model (RQM) describes a project by listing and explaining precisely what actions must be implemented during a development process.

A requirements model is the reference model which defines the tasks and orientates the work of all users and groups involved in 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.

Demo models
Demo requirements models are available in the Examples directory.

The Requirements Model contains no diagrams but offers 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, and/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:

Create and RQM 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 an RQM - to provide users with an MS Word document corresponding to the RQM
Create and update a requirements model from an MS Word document – when starting from an existing MS Word document