Requirement
A condition or capability that a product, service, or deliverable must include to meet a business need.
Key Points
- Expresses what stakeholders need from the product or service, documented and agreed for the project.
- May be functional (what it does) or nonfunctional (quality, performance, security, compliance).
- Should be clear, measurable, and testable with defined acceptance criteria.
- Traced from source through design, implementation, and validation to manage scope and changes.
Example
On a CRM project, a requirement states: "The system must encrypt customer data at rest using AES-256." This fulfills a compliance need and can be verified during testing.
PMP Example Question
Which statement best describes a requirement in a predictive project?
- A high-level goal describing why the project exists.
- A verified, measurable condition the deliverable must meet to satisfy a need.
- The plan for how the team will perform the work.
- A list of risks that could impact scope.
Correct Answer: B — Requirement
Explanation: A requirement defines a specific, testable condition or capability the product or service must have to meet a business need.
