Problem
Marsha is charged with revamping an order-taking system where customers place orders to purchase products from Martin's Mail Order Tools and Hardware Co.. The system requires customers to supply basic ordering information (e.g., part numbers for the products they desire, the quantity of items). It should capture information on the name, address and corporate affiliation of the person making the order, as well as information on the destination to which the order will be shipped. It should be able to price the order, factoring in sales tax (based on the tax rate of the State where the order will be shipped) as well as shipping/handling charges. Finally, it should capture credit card data and be able to authorize closure to the transaction. Once the transaction is authorized, the system should route the order request to the warehouse where products are stored and should route the payments data to the accounting department.
In an attempt to capture user requirements, Marsha contacts a broad range of users and asks for their inputs on what they would like to see incorporated in the new order-taking system. Following are some of the responses she gets:
a. "The order-taking screen should be dynamic"
b. "The system must have sufficient capacity."
c. "The rules must be flexible."
d. "When transactions are made, all interfacing systems should be updated."
e. "The application must be user-friendly."
Each of these "requirements," as stated, is too vague to be useful. Restate each requirement in order to clarify what the requirement is really addressing.