There is no absolute point of view from which real and ideal can be finally separated and labelled.

T.S. Eliot [1]

Prioritize your requirements with a standard nomenclature or use the MoSCoW technique when writing them. Since NFR often do not seem to carry immediate value for a project, especially in “agile mode”, the methodology to prioritize is easy. Forget about abstruse method such as QFD, Planning games, MST most of the time simple words such as Critical, High, Medium, Low, Nice to have, will do for NFRs.

“Rationale statements are another great tool for reducing ambiguity in your requirements document. They allow you to simplify your requirements statement while providing users with additional information. A short and concise sentence is usually all that is needed to convey a single requirement – but it’s often not enough to justify a requirement. Separating your requirements from their explanations and justifications enables faster comprehension and makes your reasoning more evident.” [35]e dealt with the constraints, since many requirements are often found in these types of documents.

Identify the requester of a requirement, it can be an individual, a corporate policy or a department, a regulatory body, a law, etc. When dealing with laws, regulations or the like, make sure that the document is for everybody to see. Consult professionals such as your legal department and people who have dealt with the constraints, since many requirements are often found in these types of documents.