Fit Criteria for Solution Constraints

Section 4 of the Volere Requirements Specification Template contains constraints. We treat them as a special type of requirement that needs to be specified just like any other type of requirement. For example, in section 4a, you will find the solution constraints. These constraints place restrictions on the way that the problem must be solved; you could also say they mandate a solution to the problem. For example:

Description: The software part of the product must run on Linux.

This requirement reflects management's desire to continue to use, or to start to use, Linux. It may or may not have a sound technological basis, but that is beside the point. You are being told that any solution you deliver has to comply with this constraint.

We can test complianceeither you comply with the requirement or you don'tas long as whatever it is that you have to comply with is itself measurable. For example, you can test whether you have complied with a law, but you can't test whether you have complied with a constraint that states "You shall be happy." In the case of the Linux constraint, you could write the following criterion:

Fit Criterion: All functionality of the software shall operate correctly when run using Red Hat Enterprise Linux version 4.

Similarly, all other constraint requirementsfor example, implementation environment, partner applications, commercial off-the-shelf software, open source software, workplace environment, time budget, and financial budgetshould have fit criteria.