<\/span><\/h2>\nMust (M)<\/h3>\n
Must requirements are indispensable and must be met for the project to be successful. They are non-negotiable, as failure to meet these requirements will result in the project being considered a failure.<\/p>\n
Examples:<\/em><\/p>\n\n- Core functions of a product without which its primary purpose cannot be fulfilled.<\/li>\n
- Safety features necessary to comply with legal regulations.<\/li>\n
- Minimum requirements for a system\u2019s performance or availability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Should (S)<\/h3>\n
Desired requirements are also important and should be implemented whenever possible. Their absence compromises the quality or usefulness of the project outcome. Nevertheless, the project can still be considered successfully completed\u2014albeit with limitations\u2014if they are not met. The priority of desired requirements is second only to that of mandatory requirements. This means that, in the worst-case scenario, these requirements can be deferred to a follow-up project if all available time and resources are needed to fulfill the mandatory requirements.<\/p>\n
Examples:<\/em><\/p>\n\n- Additional features of a product that enhance its competitive advantage but are not essential.<\/li>\n
- Advanced user interfaces in software that enhance the user experience.<\/li>\n
- Efficiency improvements that are not, however, absolutely necessary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Could (C)<\/h3>\n
\"Should-have\" requirements are desirable because they offer, for example, greater project benefits or increased convenience. While the goal is to meet these requirements, they are not critical to the project\u2019s success and are therefore implemented only if time and resources remain available after the \u201cmust-have\u201d and \u201cshould-have\u201d requirements have been met. If resource conflicts arise, \u201cnice-to-have\u201d requirements are either not implemented or deferred to a follow-up project.
These requirements often make a big difference in stakeholder satisfaction. Therefore, it is important to keep track of them and list them. This way, they can be examined more closely if they can be implemented without significant additional effort.<\/p>\n
Examples:<\/em><\/p>\n