In general, business requirements documents encompass a project, as they describe how each requirement meets the business’s needs. These requirements must be measurable, achievable, and meet the expectations of stakeholders. Business requirements documents help stakeholders understand the resources that the firm’s team needs to produce the desired result of the project. Similarly, it will also help the project team determine how they will conduct quality control tests.
Business requirements documents act as the foundation of a project because they list the business requirements in relation to customer needs. It also helps direct the project and ensure that the various departments remain on schedule, as it outlines the objectives of the project and a timeline and schedule of the deadlines. In addition to describing the company’ goals for the product it is producing, BRDs typically describe the wants and expectations of the client. Thus, a business requirement document contains the details of the business solution for the project.
What Does a Business Requirement Document Include?
You can find project costs displayed on financial statements. Similarly, you can also find where project funds come from in financial statements. There may also be a SWOT analysis of the business. In addition, there may be a diagram displaying how this particular project fits the business. Most BRDs also include a cost-benefit analysis to help estimate the strengths and weaknesses of the project plan.
The latter item is vital to a client because it outlines the project expectations of a business requirement document. Furthermore, it also defines what the end product will look like. An important item to include for the client and server is the question “Is it worth it to invest the time and money required for the project?”. Therefore, you must consider if there is any restrictions that the project team may face, particularly any financial constraints.
Business requirements documents also include the inputs and outputs associated with each step within the project. It also must determine the input for the next phase of the project. Detailing the step and their function is vital for the next item included in a BRD – qualifications to pass the quality control test. This is because the project team must create parameters that relate to the needs and wants of the customers, in addition to any inquiries raised by the testing teams.
What is the Difference Between Business Requirements and Functional Requirement Documents?
Business requirements and functional requirement documents are often used interchangeably. However, it is important to distinguish the differences between the two. After all they are two different documents. Functional requirement documents (FRDs) dictate how a project will accomplish the requirements defined in the BRD. In contrast, personnel, material and funding needed to complete the project are described in a BRD.
Business requirements documents outline the client’s expectations. These business requirements align with both the server and client’s goals for their respective companies. Contrary to this, the project manager is in charge of writing specific FRDs. They determine and understand the client’s expectations for the project.
You may need an FRD embedded into your business requirement document depending on your firm’s industry. For instance, a software developing business may include the FRD in the BRD because the project team needs to demonstrate the functionality of the system or reveal the planned user interface.
How Technical Writers Can Help
Technical writers can play a valuable role in creating business requirements documents (BRDs) by leveraging their skills in documentation and communication. Here’s how they can contribute to the process:
1. Understanding Stakeholder Needs: Technical writers collaborate with stakeholders, including business analysts, product managers, and subject matter experts, to gather information about the project or product requirements. They conduct interviews, workshops, and research to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the stakeholders’ needs, goals, and objectives.
2. Structuring the BRD: Technical writers excel at organizing information in a clear and logical manner. They leverage their expertise in information architecture to create a well-structured BRD that is easy to navigate and understand. This includes defining sections, headings, and subheadings to break down complex information into digestible chunks.
3. Defining and Documenting Requirements: Technical writers work closely with the project team to capture and document business requirements accurately. They translate technical jargon and complex concepts into plain language, ensuring that the BRD is accessible to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. They create concise and precise requirement statements, using standardized templates and formats.
4. Ensuring Clarity and Completeness: Technical writers focus on clarity and completeness when documenting requirements. They use their communication skills to express requirements in a manner that eliminates ambiguity and confusion. They ask clarifying questions and validate information with stakeholders to ensure that the requirements are accurate, consistent, and aligned with the overall project goals.
5. Visualizing Requirements: Technical writers often use visual aids, such as diagrams, flowcharts, and process maps, to enhance the understanding of requirements. Visual representations can help stakeholders grasp complex concepts, dependencies, and workflows more easily. Technical writers use appropriate tools and software to create these visuals and embed them within business requirements documents.
6. Reviewing and Editing: Technical writers perform thorough reviews of the BRD to ensure quality and accuracy. They collaborate with stakeholders to incorporate feedback, address gaps, and refine the requirements. They also ensure that the document follows organizational style guidelines, maintains consistency, and aligns with any existing documentation standards.
7. Document Version Control: Technical writers manage document version control to track changes and revisions made to business requirements documents. They maintain an audit trail and ensure that the most up-to-date version is accessible to the project team. This helps in maintaining document integrity, facilitating collaboration, and preventing confusion caused by outdated or conflicting versions.
8. Collaboration and Documentation Tools: Technical writers leverage various collaboration and documentation tools to streamline the business requirements document creation process. These tools can include project management software, document sharing platforms, version control systems, and content management systems. They select and utilize the appropriate tools to facilitate efficient collaboration and documentation management.
By applying their skills in communication, organization, clarity, and documentation best practices, technical writers can effectively contribute to the creation of comprehensive and well-structured business requirements documents. Their involvement ensures that the BRDs accurately capture the stakeholders’ needs and serve as a reliable reference for the project team throughout the development process.
What EDC Can Do To Help
Whether you need a team of consultants or a single technical writer to produce a business requirements document or a functional requirement document, Essential Data’s Engagement Manager will lead the project from start to finish. At Essential Data Corporation, we guarantee the quality of our work. Contact us today to get started. (800) 221-0093 or sales@edc.us.
Written by Alexa Do