How to Make Sure Stakeholders Read your Software Requirements Specifications (SRS)

© 2010 Ugur Akinci
It’s a rather common predicament — a technical writer or Product Manager sits down and after months of labor finishes writing a comprehensive Software Requirements Specifications (SRS) document, or “specs” for short.  And then… SRS falls through the cracks and is forgotten, not because of ill-will on anybody’s part but because people are generally too busy.
Developers are too busy writing and rewriting code feverishly. Project Manager is bust juggling so many balls up in the air. QA Manager is busy finding new bugs and reporting them to the Product Manager. There are all kinds of issues related to a new built or new release.
So what must you do to make sure the SRS is read and not dead?
Here is some good advice from an insider who knows how the game is played:
1) Determine the number of changes requested in each section of the software requirements.
2) Get written signatures.
3) Tailor the requirements for the audience.
4) Get verbal and written commitment from people before a requirements review.
Click here to read more on these four suggestions.