Functional Requirements and Enterprise Architecture

In User-centric EA, it is important to facilitate the delivery of IT systems that meet user requirements. While it is solutions architecture that is actually involved in the development of the technology solutions and systems, EA is the guiding strategic architecture for the organization that specifies the overall target architecture and transition plan.

For systems to be developed to meet user needs, a solid set of functional requirements need to be captured. These functional requirements should meet the following criteria:

• Needed
• Verifiable (i.e. they can be tested to see if they are met)
• Attainable
• Clear
• Simple (i.e. one requirement per phrase)
• Consistent
• State “what” (not “how”)

A clear set of functional requirements is a critical step to the development of IT systems that meet user needs and help the enterprise achieve its target architecture.

Functional Requirements and Enterprise Architecture