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Functional Requirements

Template Library

Functional Requirements Template

Define required system behavior in traceable, reviewable, testable form.

ES-102 Functional System Behavior

Template purpose

Use this template to define what the system must do.

Functional requirements should describe externally meaningful behavior. They should avoid implementation detail unless the implementation detail is itself a constraint or required interface behavior.

Project

<Project name>

Document control

Field Value
Artifact owner <owner>
Primary reviewers <reviewers>
Status <draft / in review / accepted / revised>
Last updated <YYYY-MM-DD>
Related Engineering Stage ES-102 — Requirements and Constraints
Project workspace target docs/project-workspace/requirements/functional_requirements.md

Requirement writing standard

Each functional requirement should be:

  • clear enough to review;
  • traceable to source evidence;
  • bounded by accepted scope;
  • testable or explicitly marked for refinement;
  • connected to affected stakeholders or use cases;
  • free of unnecessary implementation detail.

Functional requirement register

ID Requirement Name Requirement Statement Source Evidence Priority Verification Status
FR-001 <requirement name> The system shall <behavior>. <source evidence> <must / should / could> <test / review / demo / inspection> <draft / reviewed / accepted / deferred>

Detailed requirements

FR-001 — <Requirement Name>

Field Value
Requirement The system shall <behavior>.
Source <source evidence>
Stakeholder / Need <stakeholder or need>
Rationale <why this requirement exists>
Priority <must / should / could>
Scope Alignment <in-scope reference or rationale>
Related Use Case <UC-ID or none>
Related NFRs <NFR-ID or none>
Related Constraints <C-ID or none>
Acceptance Criteria <observable conditions for acceptance>
Verification Method <test / review / demo / inspection / analysis>
Evidence Expected Later <test result, review record, log, demo notes, inspection record>
Status <draft / reviewed / accepted / deferred>

Notes

<Notes, assumptions, edge cases, or unresolved details.>

Use this section if the system includes AI-assisted, AI-mediated, or AI-generated behavior.

ID AI-Related Behavior Human Control / Review Evidence Required Status
AIFR-001 <behavior> <review, approval, override, escalation, prohibition> <AI use log, evaluation, review note, prompt/output record> <draft / reviewed / accepted / deferred>

Functional exclusions

List behaviors the system is not required to provide.

ID Excluded Behavior Rationale Revisit Condition
FEX-001 <excluded behavior> <reason> <condition or not planned>

Open functional requirement questions

ID Question Owner Needed By
FRQ-001 <question> <owner> <date or stage>

Review checklist

  • [ ] Each requirement uses clear shall-style language.
  • [ ] Each requirement has a source.
  • [ ] Each requirement aligns to scope.
  • [ ] Each requirement has priority and status.
  • [ ] Each requirement has verification or a refinement note.
  • [ ] AI-related behavior includes human control and evidence expectations.
  • [ ] Exclusions and open questions are visible.

Continue to Non-Functional Requirements

Define quality, trustworthiness, operational, security, AI, and governance expectations.

Open Non-Functional Requirements →