Non-Functional Requirements Template
Non-Functional Requirement Categories
Performance
- Response time
- Throughput
- Resource utilization
- Capacity
- Scalability
Security
- Authentication
- Authorization
- Data protection
- Encryption
- Audit logging
Usability
- User interface
- Accessibility
- Learning curve
- Documentation
- Error handling
Reliability
- Availability
- Fault tolerance
- Recoverability
- Backup/restore
- Error handling
Compatibility
- Platform support
- Browser compatibility
- Mobile responsiveness
- Integration capabilities
- Standards compliance
Requirement Structure
Basic Format
NFR-[XXX]: [Requirement Title]
Category: [Performance | Security | Usability | Reliability | Compatibility]
Description: [Brief description of the requirement]
Measurement Criteria: - Metric: [Specific measurable criterion] - Target: [Quantifiable target value] - Method: [How it will be measured]
Priority: [Must have | Should have | Could have | Won’t have]
Verification: [Testing/validation approach]
Example
NFR-201: System Response Time
Category: Performance
Description: The system must provide responsive user interface interactions.
Measurement Criteria: - Metric: Page load time - Target: < 2 seconds for 95% of requests - Method: Automated performance testing
Priority: Must have
Verification: Load testing with production-like data
Requirement Relationships
Example with Links
NFR-201: System Response Time
Category: Performance
Description: The system must provide responsive user interface interactions.
Measurement Criteria: - Metric: Page load time - Target: < 2 seconds for 95% of requests - Method: Automated performance testing
Priority: Must have
Verification: Load testing with production-like data
Requirement Dependencies: - Functional: @fr:FR-103, @fr:FR-104 - User Stories: @story:E01-F01-US01, @story:E01-F01-US02
Cross-Reference Matrix
| NFR ID | User Stories | FRs |
|---|---|---|
| NFR-201 | E01-F01-US01, E01-F01-US02 | FR-103, FR-104 |
Testing Considerations
Document specific testing approaches for different NFR categories:
Performance Testing
- Load testing
- Stress testing
- Endurance testing
- Spike testing
- Scalability testing
Security Testing
- Penetration testing
- Security scanning
- Vulnerability assessment
- Access control testing
- Encryption verification
Usability Testing
- User acceptance testing
- Accessibility testing
- Interface consistency checks
- Error message validation
- Documentation review
Validation Checklist
Before finalizing a non-functional requirement: