The importance of requirement specification in website redesign

  • Blog

What is a good requirement specification and where does its importance come from? Why invest in creating a requirement specification with an expert when revamping a web service or site? This article provides answers to these questions, highlighting the importance of well-prepared requirements and offering concrete examples on how you can improve your approach to requirement specification.

Non-clickable Content of the Long Article:

  1. Requirement specification in web service revamp
  2. The importance of specification in the bidding phase
  3. Requirement specification and refinement during the design and implementation phases
  4. Refinement of specification during the design phase
  5. The final outcome of requirement specification
  6. Requirement specification never goes to waste

Requirement specification in web service revamp

When it comes to overhauling a large web service or site, requirement specification is often present at multiple stages throughout the revamp process. A well-prepared specification helps to reduce costs associated with the technical implementation, as the process tends to be more straightforward and therefore more efficient. Therefore, it’s wise to allocate resources for specification and refinement almost up to the point of technical implementation.

Requirement specification begins even when the service revamp is still at the conceptual stage and potential implementation partners are being considered. During the idea and evaluation phase, it’s important to focus on the broader aspects of the new web service, such as:

  • desired visual appearance,
  • benchmarks and competitors,
  • accessibility,
  • technologies and content management systems
  • other high-level requirements, wishes and needs

Requirement specifications in the tendering phase

When the ideas for a web service overhaul are on paper, initial assessments are completed, and you decide to move forward with the tendering and request-for-proposal (RFP) phase, the RFP and the accompanying preliminary requirement specification are crucial for a successful tendering process. This applies to both the private and public sectors. In this article, I will assume that the chosen provider for the web service overhaul is responsible for the entire delivery, including:

  • refining the new service concept and specification,
  • user interface and visual design,
  • technical implementation,
  • quality assurance,
  • deployment and publication activities.

Despite the above assumption, there are various ways to approach the tendering of a web service overhaul. The two most common approaches represent opposite ends of a spectrum: either the prepared RFP is light, containing only high-level requirements and wishes, or significant effort is invested in the preliminary concept and specification of the RFP and web service. From the provider’s perspective, the method of tendering may not matter much, but from the buyer’s perspective, it is better to allocate sufficient resources to prepare for the tender. This is because a well-developed preliminary concept and specification ensure that the buyer:

  1. receives comparable and high-quality proposals,
  2. can identify which providers have invested significant effort in their proposals, demonstrating their capability and motivation to be chosen as a partner,
  3. faces fewer uncertainties during the tender phase about what should be included in the implemented web service.

As described in the Web Buyer’s Guide, the requirement specification in the tendering phase outlines a comprehensive picture of the service to be created, detailing what is to be done and why. The aim is not to list isolated elements that should be included in the new web service. Therefore, a requirement specification is not the same as a requirement list, although a requirement list can be derived from the specification if desired. Jaakko Wegelius from Conversatum also emphasises in his article that the goal of the requirement specification is to enable potential partners to offer the best solution based on their own starting points and to make it easy and fair for the buyer to compare offers. This is achieved when the requirement specification is user-centred, systematic, and sufficiently comprehensive. It is common for a different partner to handle the preliminary concept and requirement specification to support the tendering process compared to the partner who handles the design and implementation phases of the web service.

Feel free to contact me for recommendations on who to ask for help with the tendering and preliminary needs specification.

Requirement specification and refinement during the design and implementation phases of a web service

Great! The implementation partner has been chosen, and it’s time to start the project, which involves designing and developing the first version of the new web service. At this stage, the selected implementation partner—hopefully, our team—will begin refining the request for proposal (RFP) and the accompanying requirement specification. Ideally, the requirement specification provided with the RFP will already allow for the preparation of the technical implementation workflow for aspects that don’t need further refinement during the design phase.

Even if the requirement specification included with the RFP is comprehensive enough to serve as a guide for implementation, it’s beneficial to review and refine the requirements together with the implementation partner. During the design phase, for instance, our goal is to thoroughly identify the needs of both maintenance and end-users, align these with the preliminary specifications from the RFP, and refine the requirements collaboratively with you, the client. This ensures that the new web service will meet your expectations, goals, and user needs effectively.

Refinement of requirements during the design phase

The refinement of the requirement specification during the design phase often begins with collaborative workshops. These workshops utilise service design methods to thoroughly examine the target groups, needs, and goals of the new web service. It is crucial for the chosen implementation partner to gain a comprehensive understanding of what is being developed, why it is being done, and how it will be executed. Therefore, involving all relevant parties, including the end-users of the service if necessary, is beneficial in refining the requirements of the new web service.

The requirement specification provided in the request for proposal (RFP) typically serves as an excellent foundation for refining details. It is important that both the client and the supplier teams are familiar with the RFP’s requirement specification and, if available, the solution description provided in the supplier’s proposal. Together, these documents guide the refinement process.

After the workshops, the refinement of the requirements may continue throughout the design phase as needed, including during the user interface and visual design stages. The goal is to ensure that the requirement specification is sufficiently detailed and approved by the client before the technical implementation begins. Effective refinement is conducted in a shared document and in a manner that allows the client to easily track the progress of the specification.

Final outcome of requirements specification

The refined requirements specification serves as a guiding document for the technical implementation of the web service and typically includes the following areas:

  • goals and goal tracking,
  • requirements,
  • functional specification,
  • integrations,
  • requirements for future development.
  • non-functional requirements: includes technology choices, usability, and accessibility requirements.

When the requirements are carefully defined and documented, it is easier for the technical implementation team to proceed with the development of the new web service. Ideally, the specification documentation should include links to the designs in a browser-based design tool, allowing the team to view how each defined feature will appear in the user interface and visual design.

This documentation should also be used for defining future development to ensure that the evolution of the web service remains systematic and goal-oriented. Features intended for future development can be outlined even before the first version is completed, if the project timeline and budget allow for it.

Requirements specification never goes to waste

The work involved in requirements specification is never wasted, and it’s always beneficial to involve experts who are well-versed in the relevant context. Even if you feel confident about drafting the requirements specification for your RFP (Request for Proposal) yourself, I strongly recommend including an external expert in the process. This ensures that stages such as the tendering phase and the initiation of the new project proceed more smoothly and many risks are minimised.