Say it like this
- Meet the requirements
- Clarify the requirements
- Requirements gathering
- Functional requirements
- Non-functional requirements
- The requirements are set in stone
Use it at work
Starting a project
- Let's get the requirements clear before we design.
- Who's writing the requirements?
Questioning
- This requirement isn't clear. What does fast mean?
- Is this a must-have requirement or a nice-to-have?
Changes
- The requirements changed again.
- Let's document new requirements as change requests.
Don't say this
Requirements is a noun, not a verb. Use 'meet,' 'fulfill,' or 'satisfy' with requirements.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| requirements | What the product must do | Product, stakeholders | Before building |
| acceptance criteria | Conditions for one story | Product owner | Per ticket |
| specification | Detailed technical description | Engineers | Before building |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Before we start coding, we need to _______ all the requirements from the stakeholders.
2. Your PM wants to make sure the team understands what must be built. Which sounds most natural?
3. Which sentence uses 'requirements' incorrectly?
4. Rewrite this in natural tech English using 'requirements': 'The customer told us what features they need, and we have written down everything they said in a document.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 6
"Meet the requirements"
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More about requirements
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"We finished the API endpoint, but we need to review the requirements for the error handling first."
- in a code review
"This implementation doesn't match the requirements we agreed on; we need to add support for batch processing."
- in a team meeting
"Before we start development, let's make sure all the requirements are clear and everyone understands the scope."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Do not confuse requirements (what must be done) with requests (what someone asks for). Requirements are formal specifications, not casual wishes.
- ✕The client made a requirements yesterday.✓The client made a request yesterday.
Requirements are formal specifications, not casual requests. Use 'request' for a one-off ask.
- ✕These are nice-to-have requirements.✓These are nice-to-have features or optional requirements.
True requirements are mandatory. Nice-to-have items are typically called features or lower-priority items.
Other forms(3)
- requirements noun
"The requirements for this project are documented in Jira."
- requirement noun (singular/uncountable)
"One key requirement is that the API must handle 10,000 requests per second."
- required adjective
"The required fields are marked with an asterisk."
Often used with(7)
- gather requirements · To collect and document what needs to be built
- define requirements · To specify clearly what the system must do
- meet requirements · To fulfill or satisfy all the specified needs
- functional requirements · Features and behaviors the system must perform
- non-functional requirements · Performance, security, and scalability specifications
- business requirements · What the organization needs the system to achieve
- requirements document · Formal specification detailing all project needs
Similar words(3)
- specifications · More technical term; often used interchangeably in engineering contexts
- specs · Informal abbreviation of specifications; common in tech conversations
- acceptance criteria · More specific; describes exactly when a requirement is considered done
Opposites(2)
- constraints
- limitations
Questions(5)
- What is the difference between requirements and requests?
- Requirements are formal, documented specifications that define what must be built. Requests are informal asks that may or may not be agreed upon. Requirements are binding; requests are not necessarily approved or prioritized.
- What are functional vs. non-functional requirements?
- Functional requirements describe what the system does (e.g., users can log in with email). Non-functional requirements describe how well it performs (e.g., login must complete within 2 seconds, system must be 99.9% available).
- Who is responsible for gathering requirements?
- Typically product managers, business analysts, or requirements engineers work with stakeholders, customers, and end users to gather requirements. The entire product team then uses these to build and test the solution.
- Can requirements change during a project?
- Requirements can change, but it should be a controlled process. Major changes are managed through change requests and may affect scope, timeline, and budget. Agile teams review and refine requirements continuously in shorter cycles.
- How do you know if a requirement is met?
- Each requirement should have clear acceptance criteria that describe exactly what done looks like. Testing teams verify that the implemented feature satisfies all acceptance criteria before marking the requirement as complete.
