A good plan is the foundation of any successful project, without it the chances of success are slim. With a digital business requirements document, you can effectively lay out your project requirements and gear your business for success.
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Starting a project or business is no easy feat. It requires extensive plans and proper execution to get it off the ground. In fact, according to a survey by the Project Manage Institute, over 11.4% of investment is lost because of poor organizational performance. This is simply because the absence of a well-thought-out plan can result in a lack of proper direction and problem-solving that leads to wrong decisions.
Here is where a business requirements document (BRD) comes into play. It’s a document that essentially outlines the requirements and objectives that a project needs to meet and describes the problems that should be solved. It sets the direction of the project and serves as the foundation of the overall plans. Through a BRD, all facets are reviewed and expectations are laid out allowing every member and stakeholder of the organization to be on the same page.
A good business requirements document sample is one that is complete and self-explanatory. It should eliminate guesswork and clearly convey appropriate information that is needed to ensure the project remains true to its objectives and is continually geared toward success. When developed well, it offers the following benefits:
Furthermore, it also serves as a basic agreement between the client and vendor defining all expectations and requirements for the project. Thus, it serves as the standard for identifying when the project has been completed.
1. What are the parts of a BRD?
2. What are the best practices to writing a business requirements document?
3. What are the advantages of a digital business requirements document?
In writing a good business requirements document, there are ten essential elements that should be included:
A business requirements document is one of the most useful tools for managers during project implementation. However, it can be intimidating and can seem like a daunting task, but it is actually manageable when done systematically. To help you manage better, here are four tips you can follow when coming up with a BRD.
Before getting started on anything, it’s best to acquaint yourself with a well-written business requirements document example. You can do this by taking a look at several successful projects from before and studying how they did it.
Some elements that you should specifically pay attention to are:
The main point of a BRD is to capture project requirements to set the direction, without these it won’t be possible to develop a good business requirements document. Your requirements can range from high-level to technical depending on your stakeholders and business objectives.
According to the International Institute of Business Analysis BABOK® Guide, there are nine common elicitation methods used to gather requirements. You can choose the method that suits your needs best.
Visualizing your data can make your message more effective and powerful. Through the use of charts, graphs, and maps, you can simplify huge chunks of information and increase the effectiveness of your BRD. An example of this is by mapping out your present and future business processes, then showing them side-by-side to easily communicate your requirements. This will help your stakeholders see the trends and patterns instantly.
Once you’re done drafting your BRD, the final step is to have your stakeholders review the content and validate it. Doing so will allow you to make sure that you’ve captured the requirements accurately, listed all the assumptions and expectations correctly, and corrected any potential errors.
With a powerful digital checklist for business requirements, you can easily carry out checks via tablet or smartphone - online or offline. A digital checklist guides you step by step through the BRD without omitting important criteria.
Using the desktop version, you can create templates that match your standards and then evaluate the collected data. Clean and transparent documentation saves you a lot of time. In addition, you benefit from further advantages with Lumiform app:
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