Requirements communication

Accurate requirements communication is critical to effective functioning of the modern design process. However, little has really been done to help ensure the accuracy of such communications. Ambiguity, mis understanding (and the resulting frustration) all create overly complex systems, nonperforming devices, and mismatched system components. The natural result of such inefficiencies is more cost, program delays, and weapon systems that cannot totally perform their prime mission (performance compromise). This paper attempts to characterize some of the causes for such communication breakdowns and postulates some likely approaches to improving the reliability of the requirements communication process. Additionally, the paper examines some past experiences that illustrate the problem and its impacts and suggests some specific solutions that should be considered now.