1.0 INTRODUCTION
The System Requirements Specification (SRS) is a formal statement of the application functional
and operational requirements. It serves as a contract between the developer and the customer for
whom the system is being developed. The developers agree to provide the capabilities specified.
The client agrees to find the product satisfactory if it provides the capabilities specified in the
SRS.
Sections 1 through 9 describe the contents of the SRS in accordance with the software
development life cycle (SDLC). Section 10 is provided for informational purposes only and
describes the general requirements for generating a Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) in
tandem with the SRS. It provides general guidelines for writing requirements. Section 11
provides information on optional Attachments and Appendices.
A brief description of SRS functions, characteristics, and requirements structure includes the
following:
• The SRS provides the following functions:
− Designing and developing the application system
− Evaluating the product in all subsequent phases of the lifecycle
− Determining the success of the project
• The SRS has the following characteristics:
− Demonstrates that the application provides value to FNS in terms of the business
objectives and business processes.
− Contains a complete set of requirements for the application.
− Is solution independent. The SRS is a statement of what the application is to do—not of
how it works. The SRS does not commit the developers to a design. For that reason, any
reference to the use of a specific technology is inappropriate in an SRS, unless the
technology is listed as a system constraint (see Section 2.2).
• The SRS provides the following requirements, where a requirement is defined as a condition
the application must meet for the customer to find the application satisfactory. A
requirement has the following characteristics:
− Provides a benefit to the organization. That benefit is directly traceable to the business
objectives and business processes of the FNS.
− Describes the capabilities the application must provide in business terms.
− Does not describe how the application provides that capability.
− Does not describe such design considerations as computer hardware, operating system,
and database design.
− Is stated in unambiguous words. Its meaning is clear and unmistakable.
− Is stated in the positive mode, using the word "shall" (e.g., The system shall. . .). Only
one instance of "shall" is permitted in a paragraph.